A warning about possible asbestos contamination has unsettled residents of the German town of Bollendorf, two weeks after a major fire there.
In a statement, the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm district authority said that it could not be ruled out that asbestos contamination had occurred in the area of the fire.
Michael Stock, who rents out storage containers near the destroyed halls, said the news spread quickly locally. Stock was present while the fire was still burning and described the scale of the firefighting operation as "the likes of which the Eifel region has never seen before."
Since the fire, Stock's tenants have been unable to access their belongings. Stock said he has still received no information about when the site will reopen. At present, it remains closed, he said.
Bollendorf Mayor Robert Steimetz explained that the hall complex measured 7,000 square metres and was entirely roofed with fibre cement. According to Steimetz, the roof burned down along with the halls and appears to have released asbestos fibres.
Asbestos is dangerous when inhaled. For this reason, authorities have issued a series of precautionary measures. Locals are advised to refrain from dry sweeping outdoor dust and from mowing the lawn.
Before doing any gardening work, they should first moisten the soil. Shoes worn outside should be removed before entering homes to avoid bringing dust indoors. Pets should be wiped down with a damp towel after being outside. Fruit and vegetables grown in gardens should be thoroughly rinsed.
Residents are also advised to take their cars to a car wash. These are among the measures outlined in the statement aimed at preventing the spread of asbestos fibres – should any be present.
Mayor Steimetz acknowledged that some people feel the warning came too late. Personally, he said, he is well aware of how slow administrative processes can be in Germany, but he also believes the process could have been quicker.
Whether an actual risk exists has not yet been clearly established. What Steimetz finds particularly irritating is that the warning does not define a specific perimeter or name any affected villages.
He noted that on the day of the fire, the wind carried the smoke away from Bollendorf and into the woods. For this reason, people on the Luxembourgish side of the border also did not notice anything related to the fire – a point confirmed by Berdorf Mayor Joé Nilles.
Nilles also expressed bewilderment at the timing of the German warning, issued two weeks after the incident. He acknowledged that locals are now wondering why Luxembourgish authorities did not inform them.
However, he pointed out that Luxembourgish officials were simply not involved. Neither the authorities nor any ministry nor the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS) had contacted them, as the assumption was that there was no danger to the Luxembourgish side, according to Nilles.
Following an enquiry by RTL, the Environment Agency was unable to provide any information by the editorial deadline. On the German side, measurements are still being taken, Steimetz said, adding that further measures are likely planned.
"To my knowledge, something is supposed to be applied – a binding agent – which will then further minimise the risk of anything else entering the environment", he explained.
According to experts who spoke to Steimetz, asbestos fibres would not pose a risk in water, meaning there should be no danger to the Sûre river.
