Rochester, New York’s fire chief is worried about the safety of his friends and neighbors. After an increase in the number of fires that consumed vacant buildings throughout the city, Rochester Fire Chief John Caufield is campaigning to use a portion of the city’ $3.4 million demolition budget to board up the vacant structures. Rochester firefighters saw a 36 percent increase in fires in vacant homes and other structures in 2008. As of June 1, 2009, this year’s total fire count for vacant structures is 31.

The rise in the number of fires coincides with an asbestos-related investigation into the city’s preeminent demolition contractor. In late 2008, the city halted all demolition work and canceled contracts awarded to Sinisgalli Inc. Sinisgalli are now facing an ongoing criminal investigation. Three employees for the company have been charged with improperly disposing of asbestos. Asbestos, a known carcinogen, is highly toxic and very dangerous. Airborne particles of asbestos can be inhaled, leading to lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other medical conditions.

With Sinisgalli out of the picture, the pace of demolitions has slowed, and according to Caufield “As soon as we stopped that aggressive demolition, (the number of fires) went back up.” Caufield hopes that by boarding up vacant buildings, trespassers will be unable to get inside, lowering the risk of fires.

For the time being, aggressive demolition does not seem feasible, due to the high cost of demolition and asbestos abatement. Caufield argues that by using an enhanced method of sealing off vacant buildings, the city will face fewer fires. With the enhanced method, city crews use 3/4-inch rather than 3/8-inch plywood to cover up window and door openings. The panels are then nailed, screwed, and spiked into place. While this method is time consuming, it makes it much more difficult for trespassers to gain entrance to vacant structures.

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