New Sudbury firefighters, paramedics relocated after asbestos found in station
City officials are warning residents of New Sudbury that fire and paramedic response times will be temporarily increased after a station renovation revealed possible asbestos.
The Leon Street station is being temporarily closed and crew members relocated after the carcinogenic substance was identified in the drywall compound during construction work on a washroom, the city said in a news release Tuesday night.
"Due to a concern about proper handling procedures for this type of substance, and the accumulation of dust and debris in the living quarters, the station was closed over the weekend," the city said.
"There is no further concern related to the health and safety of employees."
While the issue is being addressed, firefighters will work out of the Minnow Lake area fire station and paramedics will "maintain a roaming status in the response area."
As a result, the city says fire response times could take an extra four minutes in the New Sudbury area, depending on the location.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"Further testing on the site is required before the necessary cleanup and abatement can occur," the release said.
"As part of the renovation, future water/sewer main work will also cause a lack of functionality for up to 10 days and will need to be addressed before crews can return to the space. Staff are looking into options for setting up a temporary location that would provide crews a space with access to main arteries required for emergency response in the New Sudbury area."
Greater Sudbury city council received a report last month that said the city can't maintain all of its 24 fire and paramedic stations and recommends consolidation. A decision on the matter was deferred to this month.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.