Guest guest Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Cops battle mold By Chrissie Long Thursday, December 28, 2006 - Updated: 08:15 AM EST Beacon Villager - Concord,MA http://www.townonline.com/maynard/homepage/8999325287908900862 STOW — While the Stow Police Department fights to keep neighborhoods safe and crimeless this fall, they have been attacked from the inside – by mold. In August, the fungus began appearing on kitchen appliances, on the floor and on the wall. Employees quickly cleaned it up. But – by the end of the month – the mold spread to fill half the police station. It covered chairs and uniforms and had found its way into lockers. " It was on the refrigerator, on the exercise equipment, on the uniforms, " said Police Chief Mark Trefry. " It was everywhere. We estimated there was between 120 and 150 feet of the station contaminated with it. " Trefry contacted the Board of Health, which put him in touch with the town's insurance company. By the first week in December, a representative from an insurance company and a hygienist had inspected the mold. A few days later, a cleaning company cleared out the visible mold. " All the uniforms, jackets, shirts and pants were taken to a cleaner, " Trefry said. " We had a lot of leather items that were ruined. Some of the mold was an inch tall. " The hygienist, who had visited in September, informed police that the entire ventilation system should be cleaned or replaced to prevent further contamination. The insurance company provides up to $25,000 of the cost. Trefry said that one estimate to replace the ventilation system was $32,700. Replacing the ventilation system is the preferred alternative because mechanics would swap it with a system that is easier to clean. The current cost of cleaning the ventilation is $23,000. Trefry suspects the mold grew in August, when the air conditioning unit was down for a few days. With a food source, he said, the mold starts to grow. Trefry added that no employees reported health complications as a result of the mold. Chrissie Long can be reached at 978-371-5750 or at clong@.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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