Sick in Simsbury

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Sick in Simsbury

Town hall may have to come down because of toxic mold.

By son, Jr. Published 09/05/02 The town of Simsbury may be facing a pricey renovation of its town hall and police headquarters to clean out toxic mold that has, so far, sickened at least four police employees, including a lieutenant, two of the department's six dispatchers, and the chief's secretary. "I am concerned," Simsbury Police Chief Ingvertsen says. "I can't afford to lose any more people. We need everyone who is here to perform the tasks." Ingvertsen has reassigned a part-time records clerk to secretarial duties while Heines, who held the job since before Ingvertsen became chief in 2000, has been on extended sick leave. Dr. Santilli of Fairfield says he has examined at least four Simsbury employees and told one she could not work in police headquarters because after 10 minutes in the office she was wheezing badly. Other workers complained of watery eyes, sinusitis, headaches and a host of other ailments, he said. Heines declined to speak to a reporter about the situation, as did Lt. Mandela, a 22-year Simsbury police officer who returned to work last week. Simsbury officials have known about mold and air quality problems in the 100-year-old former school building for at least a year. The building now houses the city offices on the upper floors and the police department in the basement. Simsbury Department of Public Works employees have been making repairs, according to DPW Director Mike Wrabel. "There was some plumbing leakage," Wrabel says. "We believe we have that rectified. Now we're in the process of putting that back together." He says some of the building's air handling equipment is being replaced to help reduce the humidity that grows mold. Currently, four HEPA air filters and four large dehumidifiers are running in rooms most affected, and electric fans have been placed throughout the basement to improve air circulation. But Santilli, chief of the division of allergy, department of medicine, at St. 's Medical Center in Bridgeport, who has treated several Simsbury employees for mold-related ailments, says Simsbury is not doing enough to protect the health of its workers. "They dragged their feet and did nothing," Santilli says. The problems began more than a year ago when several workers complained of breathing difficulties and chest pains because of an oily smell coming from the new furnace. Air quality reports done in the spring and summer of 2001 found higher than normal concentrations of fungus in several of the basement offices, including the chief's reception area. A more comprehensive evaluation of the building was done by Building Science, a Vermont environmental testing company. submitted its recommendations to Wrabel last October. The report recommends a separate air handling system for the police dispatch area, better dehumidification of the building, new carpets in the lieutenant's office and chief's office. The report also recommends removal of an asphalt apron outside the building and installation of new surface drainage systems, cleaning the downspouts and redirecting their discharge, replacement of damaged wallboard and flooring and removal of the women's shower and possibly the walls. "They're making renovations, trying to follow the report," Ingvertsen says. But he has not heard yet when the town plans to replace his office carpet, which dates to 1984. A visit last Wednesday revealed that the women's bathroom has been worked on, but no workers were there that day. The town has budgeted about $150,000 for the repairs, First Selectman has said. Ingvertsen says he is unsure of the overtime and other personnel costs incurred as a result so far. Heines has been on medical leave since July 26. One dispatcher has been out since Aug. 13 and another left soon after. Lt. Mendela was intermittently sick, most recently for two weeks ending Aug. 27, Ingvertsen says. "I get calls from the dispatchers; they want to come back to work," he says. Santilli, the allergist, says the problem is worse than town officials have acknowledged. "Almost 80 percent of the people in that basement have some kind of allergic symptoms," he says. "That's huge. If you're in a building, you should assume no problem at all." Santilli says the remediation so far has been ineffective. "They should gut the basement and rebuild it," he says. "You need to remove absolutely everything that's been contaminated." There are no state standards mandating any procedure for mold removal, although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has indoor air quality standards and suggestions about how to maintain them. Santilli says the Simsbury town hall reminds him of a Fairfield elementary school, also 100 years old, that developed a persistent mold problem which sickened children and faculty. The solution there? "They finally tore the building down and built a new one," Santilli says. That cost $22 million. eericson@...