Mold at "D" District a growing concern

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - They're sworn to serve and protect the people of Buffalo, but who was protecting Buffalo Police from a sickening mold at the "D" District headquarters?

The sign on the door tells the story. Buffalo's "D" District police station on Hertel Avenue is closed until officials can find out more about this mold, found all over the basement and ceiling of the building.

Environmental Engineer John Schenne said, "I wouldn't want to work in an environment where the walls and ceilings are covered with mold."

Schenne has worked on many mold remediation projects in western New York. He says even a little exposure to mold can be highly dangerous.

"Some molds can sensitize people's immune system so even if they weren't allergic in the past they can become allergic," said Schenne.

The city shut the building down on Friday pending air quality testing. A Buffalo Police officer sent this letter to department heads notifying them of the situation, claiming officers have been sick from the building.

The letter reads:
"We at Delta are aware that the district was built above a creek with a reputation of being a toxic cess pool. We recently experienced a large basement flood which layed stagnant for who knows how long."

This is what the basement looks like now.

In the letter, the officer goes on to say: "We would like to have an independent firm hired to test out air and water qualities to make sure our safety and health are not at risk."

The Public Works Commissioner tells News 4 that Indoor Air Company is conducting the testing. Remediation will take place immediately after the city gets the results back.

Schenne explained, "If there's visible mold growing in the basement the HVAC system is circulating those spores throughout the structure, it's not a good thing for anybody that's working there."

City engineers are meeting with Ecology and Environment, Incorporated on Tuesday at the building to discuss the test results and environmental remediation necessary for "D" District.