In Fulton, Illinois, the local high school has been shut down, and the homecoming game canceled, due to concerns related to a release of asbestos, a known carcinogen linked to mesothelioma. Fulton High School’s homecoming game was canceled due to the possible release of asbestos fibers. After school last Thursday, a tile containing asbestos was removed from the high school’s shop area.

According to a press release from the River Bend School District, the removal of the tile was improperly done, as the decision to remove it was achieved “unilaterally by an employee without authorization.” Fulton High School then closed on the following Friday.

The closure will extend for an undetermined amount of time while officials investigate the site. The school will reopen once officials have determined where and how many asbestos fibers have been released. The district has contacted the Illinois Department of Health and the Regional Office of Education for support and guidance in this matter.

Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer which affects less than 3,000 Americans each year. The cancer most often manifests in pleural or peritoneal forms, although pericardial mesothelioma is also known to develop in some patients. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years. Quite a few patients lose their battle with this cancer less than two years following diagnosis.

The dance that was scheduled for homecoming week was moved to the neighboring River Bend Middle School.

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