The Orange County Board of Supervisors declared a state of emergency Thursday afternoon in the aftermath of the fire that destroyed a World War II era hangar in Tustin earlier this week.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has found asbestos and heavy metals including lead, arsenic and nickel in air and ash samples, according to a county news release.
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Orange County Supervisor Donald Wagner said the state of emergency declaration is needed to speed up the process of getting clean-up help from the state and federal governments. Wagner's district surrounds the former U.S. Navy base where the hangar burned.
He said it was important to get expert help with the toxic clean-up and get the Navy, which owns the site, “on it quickly and on it right."
Ten U.S. Congress members from Southern California also sent a letter to the Navy on Thursday, requesting information about the building materials used to build the hangar and whether the Navy has a plan for cleaning up the fire and mitigating the effects on the surrounding community, among other questions.
LAist made several attempts to reach a Navy spokesperson late Thursday afternoon but didn't receive a response.
Supervisor Katrina Foley told LAist the Navy has so far refused to take leadership on the fire response. "It's their building, their property," she said. "They should do something…and not just rely on the locals to handle their mess."
The cause of the fire is still unknown. Wagner said the Orange County Fire Authority wasn't yet able to do a full investigation because of safety concerns in the still-smoldering building.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has advised Orange County residents who may be affected by windblown smoke, ash or debris to limit outdoor activity and avoid touching ash. Authorities also urged residents to avoid kicking the ash back up into the air, for example, by not using a mechanical blower to clean it up. More tips are available online.
Schools and parks in Tustin were closed Thursday. A Veteran’s Day event in Tustin scheduled for Saturday was canceled.
