Greater Sudbury firefighters are cleared to return to the New Sudbury fire/paramedic station.
Asbestos test results for Fire Station 3 on Leon Avenue came back negative, according to a media release issued by the city on Tuesday morning, and there are no further health and safety concerns.
“The Ministry of Labour is satisfied that the contractor followed all appropriate handling procedures.”
Fire and paramedic crews are expected to return to the station by Wednesday, once site cleanup is complete.
All construction on the site has been placed on hold due to the necessity staff relocate for approximately eight weeks to accommodate remaining renovations, which include unanticipated water/sewer main work.
“This work will not resume until a suitable, temporary, alternate location within the New Sudbury response area is ready for use,” according to the city. “A further update will be provided at that time.”
The New Sudbury station crews have been out of the building since Jan. 21, when potential asbestos was identified in drywall compound during a washroom renovation.
The station's four-member crew were sent to work out of the Minnow Lake station on Second Avenue until they could safely return to their home base.
While at Minnow Lake, it has been estimated their response times within New Sudbury will increase by as much as four minutes.
The crew of paramedics stationed in New Sudbury shifted to a roaming status in the New Sudbury area, so their response times shouldn’t be affected.
In a media release issued on Jan. 24 the city has since backed away from, they said, “Due to a concern about proper handling procedures for this type of substance, and the accumulation of dust and debris in the living quarters, the station was closed over the weekend.”
A representative for the contractor behind the $200,000 renovation project reached out to Sudbury.com with concerns about the city’s initial reporting, which implied wrongdoing on their part when it came to “proper handling procedures.”
The representative, who spoke to Sudbury.com under promise of anonymity, said they’d reached out to the city to clarify what took place, as his company did nothing wrong.
“I’m being implicated in something,” they said, adding they went into the building with great care due in part to a report in the project’s tender documents cautioning them that asbestos might be present.
They set up hoarding (sealing off the affected area) so dust wouldn’t travel through the building, and enlisted asbestos abatement specialists. After removing a couple panels of drywall, they received a complaint, the Ministry of Labour issued a stop-work order, and they paused work.
In 36 years on the job, the representative said, “This is the first job I’ve ever run into with a condition like this.”
Tuesday’s media release from the city clarified that the contractor followed proper procedures.
The project is to create a second shower and washroom facility area in the building, which was originally constructed in 1974 and renovated in 2004.
It involves renovating an existing 530 square feet of space and providing two new showers, lockers, ventilation unit, ventilation distribution, new plumbing fixtures (two new toilets and sinks) and associated vanities, lighting, flooring, shelving and remedial works.
According to tender documents, various asbestos tests were carried out in the past, revealing one per cent chrysotile in the sleeping quarters’ vinyl floor and two per cent chrysotile in the office drywall joint compound.
“All drywall with drywall joint compound applied throughout the subject building is considered asbestos-containing,” according to the municipal report, which outlines various measures that should be undertaken when renovating the building due to the potential for asbestos.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
