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Tag: tustin hangar

  • Navy awards $6-million contract for cleanup of World War II hangar in Tustin that burned

    Navy awards $6-million contract for cleanup of World War II hangar in Tustin that burned

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    Navy officials announced this week that a $6-million contract has been awarded to an environmental cleanup firm to remove the debris that were released when an historic 17-story hangar in the city of Tustin caught fire.

    There is no start date yet for the work awarded to ECC Environmental LCC.

    The fire at one of two blimp hangars built in 1942 started Nov. 7 and burned for 24 days. The south hangar was not damaged. The two structures were part of a Marine Corps. air station that closed in 1997. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to city officals.

    The Navy has agreed to pay Tustin $11 million toward the cleaning and repairs from the damage caused when fumes and debris from the fire drifted through the city. Tustin officials reported that the cost associated with the recovery may exceed $100 million. As the fire burned, residents feared that ash and debris from the World War II-era hangar contained asbestos.

    Orange County’s top public health officer said Dec. 15 that there “is no concern regarding airborne asbestos” from the fire.

    Residents have been instructed to report debris via a website where they can find regular updates on the hangar cleanup efforts.

    According to a Dec. 20 city update, “certified asbestos consultants and asbestos mitigation teams” had completed 12 residential inspections and mitigations and 12 inspections. A total of 1,144 reports of debris have been filed with the city, with 1,143 inspected and 975 “mitigated and cleared,” according to the report.

    City officials and the Navy said they are bringing down the remaining pieces of the hangar in a joint effort to avoid hazardous materials from further contaminating the city.

    The deconstruction process of the hangar began Dec. 5, according to city officials.

    Certified asbestos consultants and mitigation teams completed inspections of all public right of ways in Tustin as of Dec. 11. All public parks are open, according to a city report.

    The city reported that all 29 Tustin Unified School District schools have been inspected for hazardous debris, including asbestos, and are open. Legacy Magnet Academy, one of the schools closest to the hangars, was the last to reopen, on Wednesday.

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    Roberto Reyes

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  • Demolition of burned Tustin hangar underway; asbestos levels ‘below any level of concern’

    Demolition of burned Tustin hangar underway; asbestos levels ‘below any level of concern’

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    The scorched remains of a World War II blimp hangar in Tustin are being razed as air quality officials call nearby asbestos levels “below any level of concern” while continuing to urge neighbors to take safety precautions.

    The enormous wooden military relic went up in flames Nov. 7, showering ash and debris — later found to contain asbestos — on nearby residential neighborhoods.

    The 17-story hangar smoldered for more than a week, and residents have struggled to get information about the fallout on air quality and airborne contaminants, including when debris will be removed from their properties. While the property is owned by the Navy, a mix of government agencies have been involved in the firefight and aftermath, including the Orange County Fire Authority and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

    “Our biggest frustration overall is that there’s just nobody in charge,” nearby resident Jeff Lawrence told The Times.

    Deconstruction of the hangar should be completed in the next day or two, Tustin officials said Saturday. Plans call for extinguishing all remaining hotspots of the fire, using heavy equipment excavators to remove debris and clearing roadways so water trucks can reach all areas of the hanger.

    The trucks equipped with nozzles and hoses will be used for fire suppression and dust abatement throughout the process. The hangar doors and their supporting concrete pillars will be stabilized and left in place for the time being.

    “Since monitoring began, all particulate matter from smoke and fire data at community sites are well below any level of concern,” the city said in a statement. “Asbestos sampling data received to date are also well below any levels of concern.”

    Most schools in the area have been cleared for on-campus instruction attendance, but a few are still being inspected by asbestos consultants, the Tustin Unified School District said on its website Sunday.

    Most public parks are open, but Centennial Park and Veterans Sports Park remain closed until further notice, parks officials said.

    The Orange County Healthcare Agency recommends people who believe their neighborhood has been affected by fire debris take such precautions as keeping doors and windows closed and not running air conditioning systems that draw in outside air. Avoid activities that will displace debris related to the fire, such as sweeping, leaf blowing, mowing and gardening. 

    Blocks of the city where bulk debris from the fire has been collected are shown a map on the city website.

    Times staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this report

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    Roger Vincent

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