No Asbestos Danger at West Virginia Middle School

Parents, students, and staff breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that tests on a possible asbestos release at their school came back negative.

Beverly Hills Middle School in Huntington, West Virginia was closed as a precaution on Friday. During renovations earlier in the week, officials believed a small amount of asbestos fibers may have been released during the school’s renovations.

The possible asbestos release occurred on Thursday when workers accidentally drilled 5 quarter-inch holes into a after workers accidentally drilled into a ceiling which they had been warned could possibly contain asbestos fibers.

School was canceled in order to conduct air quality tests and protect students and staff from any danger. Said the school’s superintendent: “Under federal safety guidelines, the area disturbed is so small we are only required to clean it. As a proactive measure, we’re sampling the air and closing the school Friday. We want to put the minds of those who work and study at Beverly Hills at ease.”

Mesothelioma cancer, a deadly disease, is caused exclusively by previous exposure to asbestos.

Cabell County School Spokesperson Jedd Flowers informed the public that 10 different air quality tests were conducted on the drill holes, and all 10 tests came back within standards.

The school will reopen Monday morning, and it is expected that all scheduled classes will be back in session.

Had asbestos been found at the school, the health of the students and staff at the school could have been compromised. Asbestos is a known carcinogen linked to lung cancer and other severe pulmonary afflictions. Cleaning up asbestos can be costly, and at a time when school budgets seem to be tighter than ever before, it is a lucky thing that no asbestos was found in the school’s air quality tests.