U.S. Capitol Building Slowly Reopens After Asbestos Scare
The House of Representatives will probably need to find somewhere else to meet this morning. According to multiple reports, the House-side of the U.S. Capitol building is closed because of an "industrial spill," reportedly of asbestos. (Update: most of the Capitol Building has re-opened following the incident. Speaker John Boehner said the House would reconvene at noon to begin the business of the day).
Fox News's Chad Pergram, citing senior sources at the Capitol, reported on Twitter that "they don't know 'the extent' of industrial spill at Capitol. Air testing going on. EPA & HAZMAT on scene." CNN's Dierdre Walsh, citing Capitol police, reported that a portion of the ceiling fell overnight, "exposing a chemical substance." Roll Call's Hannah Hess says the spilled substance was asbestos, according to her sources.
Obviously, this is putting a dent in the routines of those who planned to spend the day reporting at the Capitol, or, you know, legislating there. The House is still set to begin its day at 10 a.m., Pergram added. It's not clear if they'll meet at a different location, or how long it will take to assess the extent of the industrial incident and clean it up.
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The House side of the Capitol is closed due to an industrial spill. The basement was the only floor I was able to access this morning
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) July 10, 2014
Cap Police say House side of Capitol closed due to an "industrial spill." Um...what?
— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) July 10, 2014
This article was originally published at http://www.thewire.com/politics/2014/07/an-industrial-spill-closes-part-of-the-us-capitol-building/374209/
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