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Contractor reports suspected asbestos at Daniel Boone school demolition; abatement planned
Summary
Merrick Construction told the Washington County board that crews found a substance in cinder block insulation at Daniel Boone that tested presumptively positive for asbestos; the contractor plans containment, negative‑pressure tents, and staged abatement before proceeding with footings and construction.
A contractor told the Washington County Board of Education that demolition work at the Daniel Boone site uncovered an insulation material in cinder block cavities that initial tests flagged as suspected asbestos, and that abatement teams will isolate and remove the material under negative pressure before work resumes.
"We did find a substance that was in the wall at Daniel Boone to be asbestos," said Jeff Esri, a Merrick Construction representative. He described a three‑part testing protocol the contractor uses and said some initial tests required retesting before a conclusive result. Esri said crews will set up tents inside and outside the building, run negative‑pressure controls, place signage, and protect adjacent areas while abatement proceeds.
Esri said demolition is about halfway complete and that footings are scheduled to begin no later than the following Thursday, contingent on utility locates and test results. He also described temporary security fencing, removed awnings and glass doors at the site, and steps to secure the building while remediation occurs.
Board members asked whether the material was limited to block insulation; the contractor and staff said it was isolated to the block interior and that work at another site, David Crockett, did not involve cutting into block and therefore did not need testing.
No regulatory citation or formal public‑health advisory was offered during the meeting; staff and the contractor said standard abatement procedures will be followed and that signage and containment measures will be used to prevent exposure.
