By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Mayor Brown and City Police leaders say airborne mold has been detected at the Northwest "D' District police station on Hertel Avenue. However, preliminary test results say no toxic black mold has been found.
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The "D" District Police station on Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo remains closed. It shut down last Friday because of the presence of mold.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says preliminary environmental tests of the air quality confirm mold, but it is not toxic black mold. Other tests results are not complete. The City hired the Leader Group of Clarence to conduct air monitoring, water sampling, radon testing, asbestos and organic compound sampling.
This all stems from an initial Buffalo Police union complaint issued January 19th alerting the City to the problem. Interim Police Commissioner Daniel Dreneda insists he acted on the complaint quickly.
There was a published Buffalo News report that indicated some "D" District officers were concerned that the building could be causing severe heath risks, maybe even cancer. But Commissioner Dreneda believes these concerns are being addressed.
"D" District police chief Anthony Barba normally spends eight hours a day in the building. Chief Barba says there is no smell of mold inside the building.
Initial tests indicate there is no asbestos issues. But they are still awaiting results for radon and other items. Those results could be issued mid-next week. For now, no officers will be allowed to work in the building.
In the meantime, the City says response time to police calls from the D District has not been affected. The officers were relocated to a school building on Minnesota.