Firefighters will burn mold-infested house

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Firefighters will burn mold-infested house in Ypsilanti Township

by Mulcahy | The Ann Arbor News

Wednesday July 22, 2009, 9:37 AM

Arbor NewsThis house at 2601 Verna Ave. in Ypsilanti Township will be

burned down by firefighters in August because it is infested with mold.

Ypsilanti Township firefighters will burn a vacant house on Verna Avenue

because it is infested with mold and would be unsafe to demolish by tearing

it down, a township official said.

" We've been advised by the experts that the only safe way to abate the mold

is to burn it, " said Mike Radzik, head of the township's Office of

Community Standards.

The burn, which had been tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, now may be done

in early August, Radzik said.

The last known occupant of the home at 2601 Verna Ave. died about four

years ago, though the home may have been occupied at some time since then,

Radzik said. Though the deceased occupant's estate still hasn't cleared probate

court, the heir is cooperating with the township to get rid of the house,

Radzik said.

A wall of plywood treated with fire retardant has been erected between the

house and a neighboring home to prevent the fire from spreading, Radzik

said.

When the burn occurs, the nearest side of the neighboring home will be

covered with a tarp, which will be kept wet during the burn to protect the

house, Radzik said.

Tearing down the infested home the usual way would release unsafe levels of

mold spores into the air, Radzik said. At present, the lower part of the

home is boarded up, and the top is encapsulated in a type of insulation to

keep the mold inside, he said.

" The air outside the home is OK right now, " Radzik said.

Some asbestos also is being removed from the home, Radzik said. A rough

estimate of the total cost for demolishing the home would be $20,000, he said.

The township will put a lien on the property and may eventually be able to

recover some of the cost, Radzik said.

The goal will be to burn the home into its foundation and clean up the

ashes after they cool, Radzik said. The mold will be destroyed immediately by

the fire, he said.

Mulcahy can be reached at _jmulcahy@..._

(mailto:jmulcahy@...) or 734-994-6858.

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