A hazmat team is working inside a home on Prince Rd. in Windsor after police became concerned about disturbed asbestos.
Windsor Police Sergeant Steve Betteridge says officers were called to a home across from Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare last night to check on the welfare of an elderly woman. When they arrived, they decided to take the woman to the hospital for a medical checkup.
Then she told officers she had some property to surrender.
"What brought everything close to a standstill is there's a substance in the house that is suspected to be asbestos," says Betteridge. "We are taking hazmat protocols to make sure that everyone is safe."
While Health Canada does not consider asbestos a problem if left undisturbed, it can cause serious health concerns like scarring of the lungs if the fibres get into the air. The City of Windsor was notified, and the fire department responded with a hazmat team.
"There is no threat or danger to the public whatsoever," says Betteridge. "It's not a criminal investigation, and there is no anticipation of any charges or anything of that nature. It's just taking a fair bit of time to make sure no one is exposed."
Betteridge is not sure when the hazmat team will finish its work, but once it does, police will be able to enter the home and seize the property.
