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Big Stories
40
Story 911 Ground Zero Skyscraper
In Big Trouble Because of Mold Infestation
[from
Cleaning and Maintenance Management Online, cmmonline.com]
NEW YORK — A
40-story skyscraper at the edge of Ground Zero withstood the terrorist
attacks — but could be demolished because of a gross infestation of foul
mold.
The steel and glass face of the Deutsche Bank tower on Liberty Street was
ripped open by a violent wave of debris from the collapsing World Trade
Center.
While the rubble damaged a major structural column in the building,
engineers have deemed the tower stable.
The real problem is what's inside the walls. Officials at Ground
Zero say an aggressive fungus — described as looking like black
splotches — has spread rapidly in the walls and ventilation ducts of the
building, which was valued at $178 million before September 11, the Daily
News reported.
Cleanup crews and bank employees who have been in the tower said the mold
is everywhere. Deutsche Bank has not released details about the mold. But
city officials said they believe the fungus grew rapidly because of dark
and damp conditions in the abandoned building. They said it does not
appear related to any toxic contaminants from the collapsing towers.
Sprinklers inside the bank building apparently were triggered by intensely
hot fires at Ground Zero and soaked many of the floors, the newspaper
reported. The water eventually stopped, but weeks went by before workers
were able to seal a 24-story gash in the building's facade.
"They got a big problem," said Terry Gordon, an associate
professor at the New York University School of Medicine who researches
workplace air quality. Gordon said removing the mold from the tower would
be a monumental task.
The bank is concerned enough about the mold and asbestos contamination in
nearby buildings that it has allowed few employees to retrieve items from
the offices, sources said. Those who have gone into the tower say they
have had to undergo safety training and don a protective suit and
respirator.
Deutsche Bank officials have been tight-lipped about the tower's fate. But
the bank has quietly discussed razing or partially demolishing the
building if the mold can't be scrubbed away, sources said. Spokesman Mark
Lingnau said no decision has been made. The city is not pressuring the
bank to make a move
from
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com,
Jan.
18, 2002
Tribe
seeking mold solution
PINE RIDGE (AP) -
The Oglala Sioux Tribal Council is trying to figure out how to deal with a
growing infestation of mold across the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Tribal leaders drafted a resolution this week calling it an emergency
situation. They are asking the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention for help. The tribe first wants to
determine what kind of mold it's dealing with to see whether it's toxic,
according to Oglala Sioux Housing Director Richard Shangreaux. Shangreaux
said he is most concerned about Stachybotrys, a toxic mold that can be
deadly. Officials are waiting for results of tests being done on samples
that were sent to a lab.
Stachybotrys in The Wall Street Journal
On
May 15, 2001, The Wall Street Journal on its page one helped alert people
and businesses to the growing problem of deadly Stachybotrys (or
Stachybotris) mold contamination.
"Stachybotris
chartarum, or stachy as it called for short, is invading a good many
buildings and homes. The mold isn’t new, nor is the problem; but the
recent outbreaks have people scared, and some of them have gone to
extremes to deal with it. The fuzzy intruder lurks behind wallpaper and
under sinks and feeds off moisture and building materials.
"Air-quality
experts and doctors link it to illnesses ranging from dry coughs and runny
noses to oozing rashes and constant fatigue. Allergy medicine helps, but
for long-term relief of symptoms, you have to get rid of the mold. And
despite all the mold and mildew removers for sale in supermarkets, that is
easier said than done." ["Don’t Call Stachybotris the Black
Plague, but It is Plaguing the South."]
Hire the
best mold inspectors in your area that can remove
and remediate
toxic mold. Please visit:
Mold
Investigator.Chlorine bleach is ineffective in
killing mold.Read more
about Mold Species at
Mold
Samples.
Learn how to use the do-it-yourself mold test kit at
Mold Test.Read more about our new mold advice book at
DIY Mold Book.Our PCI
mold laboratory can provide you
with these extra, advanced
mold test services for your benefit.
Please visit
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