The City of Tustin has announced that an abatement company is starting the process of collecting potentially contaminated materials near the site of the historic Tustin hangar fire.
According to Tustin city officials, they were given the go-ahead by the South Coast AQMD to allow a certified abatement company to secure contaminated materials.
The remediation process began at approximately 8 a.m. on Sunday, city officials said.
Tustin Police Department Captain Stuart Greenberg told KTLA 5’s Annie Rose Ramos Sunday morning that while the air is safe to breathe without personal protective equipment, those who are dealing with the removal of the hazardous materials are required to wear white suits and respirators.
Crews will be working in the area north of the hangar, and temporary road closures will be in effect.
“Please refrain from interacting with the workers while they are operating in the area,” Tustin city officials said.
The remediation process is the first phase of a “multipronged approach” by the city to clean up after the massive fire. They have started with “public rights-of-way” and parks, schools and residences are next on the list.
Community members are urged to call 714-937-0750 to report any suspected contaminated materials to the City of Tustin’s contracted certified asbestos consultant, or visit www.tustinca.org.
“If you see debris, do not touch it, don’t disturb it,” Tustin Police Department Lieutenant Ryan Coe said. “We have had debris test positive for asbestos, and while we don’t know if all the debris has asbestos, [we are] siding on the err of caution.”
If hazardous materials are found, the asbestos consultant will contact the abatement company to remove them from the site.
The announcement of the abatement company’s immediate remediation process comes just one day after an active flare-up was ignited above the northside doors of Hangar 1.