Asbestos in the air played ‘limited role’ in Tustin hangar fire, OC health officials say

Orange County health officials said the main concern for asbestos exposure from the now-burnt blimp hangar was from debris chunks containing the hazardous material, and that asbestos in the air played a “limited role.”

County Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, in a Dec. 13 letter to the Tustin City Council, said asbestos fibers emitted into the air played a limited role, according to tests performed by several health agencies and contractors.

After the fire broke out, testing confirmed debris from the hangar had asbestos. Mobile monitoring tests found that on Nov. 8 there were elevated levels of lead and arsenic inside the smoke plume’s area. Chinsio-Kwong said additional testing showed the heavy metals have returned to normal background levels.

“The most concerning health hazard throughout the Fire Hangar Incident that remains is Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) debris at the site and direct contact with this debris,” Chinsio-Kwong wrote.

Chinsio-Kwong provided a list of recommendations to minimize health risks and reassure the community. She called for the expedited removal of asbestos debris from the hangar site, additional public awareness of clean-up efforts and reopening schools once certain conditions are met.

The letter came following a request from Orange County Supervisors Don Wagner and Vicente Sarmiento and after city leaders called for additional health guidance. Mayor Austin Lumbard said the city needed that information for its residents.

Residents are asked to continue reporting any debris from the fire they find. The city has reopened all of its parks and the last two Tustin Unified schools, both close to the hangar, are reopening next week.

Chinsio-Kwong said schools can reopen once they receive clearance from certified asbestos consultants and asbestos material is removed from the concrete pillars on the hangar site.

The remaining parts of the northern blimp hangar, which caught on fire and burned in early November, are being taken down over the coming days. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Health officials outlined tips for residents affected by the fire. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning units can be used as normal, and people can walk their pets in reopened parks. They also advised using wet-cleaning methods for window sills, window screens, balconies and door entrances and to avoid using a pressure washer.

A memo outlining the assessments made for reopening Heritage Elementary School and Legacy Magnet Academy in Tustin Unified said air and dust sampling at the schools on Nov. 22 did not detect asbestos. The contractor also did a visual inspection of the school’s grounds and did not find any fire-related debris, the memo said. Heritage Elementary School will reopen on Tuesday and Legacy Magnet Academy on Wednesday.

Lumbard said the city received the first $1 million the Navy had committed to the city on Wednesday. The city has already committed $48 million toward recovery efforts, money that Lumbard said the Navy needs to work quicker to provide.

“It’s the biggest issue out there right now,” Lumbard said. “We need a lot more than a million dollars. It’s a point of frustration.”

Navy officials have said more money will be provided.

Lumbard added that the city’s request for the governor to declare a state of emergency is still outstanding.