Thursday, 4:30 PM
Asbestos cleanup halted near burst steam pipe
By Globe Staff
The cleanup of a burst steam pipe beneath Otis Street in the Financial District was halted because the company hired for the work did not have a license to remove asbestos, a fire department official said today.
Hazmat inspectors visited the site Wednesday evening and determined that the company, Walton Systems of Chelsea, was using the wrong type of truck and did not have the license required to remove asbestos, according to Steve MacDonald, a spokesman for the Boston Fire Department. The 14-inch steam pipe burst last week as it was being repaired and spewed insulation that contained asbestos in downtown Boston.
Fire officials measured the air quality on Otis Street Wednesday night and did not find any harmful contaminants, MacDonald said.
Trigen Energy Cos., which operates a 22-mile network of steam pipes beneath the city, had hired LVI Services to cleanup the area near Summer Street, MacDonald said. LVI in turn hired in Walton Systems, which was not licensed to do the work, he said.
Fleet Environmental Services, which has an asbestos license, has been hired to continue the cleanup. Fleet is expected to start its work today, MacDonald said.
