When the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station’s northern blimp hangar caught on fire on Nov. 7, officials were gravely concerned about the possible health implications.
“In the beginning, I thought it was dire, right?” the county’s health officer, Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, said. “I thought like, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s a large building that had a lot of different hazards in it,’ and I was thinking, of course, worst-case scenario, so that we can help protect individuals, or at least make sure that people would hopefully heed the guidance to minimize their exposure.”
Asbestos, lead and arsenic were detected in samples collected near the hangar the day it broke out, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The Orange County Health Care Agency began advising people to avoid touching any ash or debris from the fire.
Some Tustin residents left their homes for weeks out of concern, and schools near the hangar were closed. Asbestos debris from the fire was found throughout Tustin; a cleanup effort led by the city continues with more than 1,400 homes affected.
Now, health officials say the community was spared the worst case and the health risk from the hangar fire has been minimal. Despite their assurances, some residents continue to worry about possible ongoing exposure and say they hope the city will do more testing and cleaning.
Over time, Chinsio-Kwong said she’s been reassured by environmental health experts and the extensive testing that indicates a limited risk to residents near the hangar. Air sampling never detected asbestos, according to health officials. Dust samples collected at city-owned parks and facilities did detect some asbestos at higher-than-background levels, according to lab tests obtained via a records request, and city officials said they have been cleaned by its contractors.
“Time will tell with asbestos and exposures,” Chinsio-Kwong said. “Unfortunately, we don’t really know until about 20 to 30…
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