Members of the University of Connecticut Fencing Club uncovered asbestos in the basement of Hawley Armory last week. A fencer then contacted the university fire department. The fencing club uses the armory to store equipment.

John Kennedy, journalism major and vice president of the club, uncovered the asbestos while cleaning out a storage area with other club members. Kennedy noticed an insulated pipe running through the shed and the surrounding basement.

The insulation around that pipe was badly damaged, and Kennedy recognized that the insulation could contain asbestos. The fencing equipment, along with the fencers’ clothing, was confiscated for examination by the fire department.

University of Connecticut Deputy Fire Chief Mancini said that his officers instructed the club members to shower at the armory, and have their roommates bring them fresh clothing to minimize the risk of inhaling or transporting asbestos fibers from the scene. Asbestos exposure has been linked to mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. According to Kennedy, he was also offered the option of leaving in a Haz-Mat suit.

According to Benjamin Lee, a psychology major and the fencing club’s treasurer who was also at the scene, the university’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety contacted him later in the week and revealed that the insulation at the site contained 3 percent asbestos fibers. "I am not too concerned with exposure because it was just once and not for very long," Lee said. Lee did note that it was odd that the entire pipe had been re-insulated, with the exception of the portion that ran through the storage area.

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