The West Virginia University Coliseum will remain closed Monday, as workers test parts of the building for asbestos.
The Coliseum was initially closed on Friday, after workers renovating the structure found some material that may contain asbestos. The concourse area ringing the Coliseum arena has been undergoing renovations since shortly after the final men's basketball home game March 2.
The material discovered Friday was encapsulated in an inaccessible area above ceilings in entrances to the restrooms ringing the concourse, and did not pose a health hazard to any individuals within the building, according to WVU Director of Environmental Health and Safety John Principe. He added that it was exposed by the renovation work. The Coliseum was closed immediately after the discovery.
A third-party testing firm has collected air samples in the seating area and event levels of the building, and the samples met regulatory clearance levels for occupancy, according to university relations officials. The firm also sampled and tested the material that was exposed during demolition activities on Friday afternoon at the Coliseum and confirmed that it contained asbestos, Principe said.
Asbestos is a generic term for six naturally occurring fibrous materials that were commonly used in buildings because they are resistant to heat and most chemicals. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, an incurable and fatal form of cancer that develops in the chest cavity and encases and grows into the lungs.
The firm is still collecting air samples throughout the remaining areas of the Coliseum, and the results of those samples should be available Monday, Principe said.