Asbestos found in Utrecht homes, dozens evacuated

Dozens of people evacuated from their homes in the Utrecht district of Kanaleneiland on Sunday because of an asbestos scare will have to spend at least one more night in a hotel, news agency ANP reports.


Some 150 people were ordered to leave their homes after asbestos was found in two apartments in a block of flats on the Stanleylaan.
ANP reports that the asbestos was discovered on Thursday but the decision to evacuate the 48 flats was not taken until Sunday afternoon. A number of people were allowed to return later in the day but some were put up in a hotel for the night.
Officials will carry out more research into the contamination on Monday. It is not clear from the press coverage how the asbestos was discovered or if it had been disturbed.
Spray-on asbestos, used as insulation and fire-proofing, was banned in the Netherlands in 1977 and is considered one of the most dangerous forms of asbestos. The affected property was built between 1960 and 1965.

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