State Police, EPE Investigate Burlington County Hospital Demolition Site
RIVERSIDE, N.J. (CBS) -- A planned development in South Jersey is supposed to include homes and retail space, but the big development Tuesday at the demolished site of an old hospital in Riverside was that hazmat teams were clearing debris as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
Workers in protective gear, including face masks and gloves, sorted through bags of debris in containers at the site of the old hospital in Riverside for a second straight day. Eyewitness News has learned exclusively of allegations of improper handling and disposal of asbestos are the focus of a criminal investigation by the state and New Jersey Environmental Protection Enforcement.
News of this investigation has left many residents who neighbor the site questioning the safety of their own property.
"It was pretty frightening when parts of the building were coming down," said one resident who videotaped the demolition. "There were just clouds of dust blowing."
Pedro Almeida says that he is more concerned now that the site is a potential crime scene.
"They should be able to test, especially the exterior of the homes and who knows, the interior of the homes too. I mean we have air conditioning and heating units," said Almeida.
Riverside officials provided Eyewitness News with documents that showed one asbestos contractor was licensed by the state. The town's redevelopment attorney says another reports seems to indicate lab results show no asbestos and a third document indicates that asbestos was disposed of at a Tullytown, Pennsylvania landfill.
But, the attorney says he cannot vouch for the completeness of the reports.
The township says Deuteron Fill-It Recycling, which is also known as South Street Recycling, demolished the hospital and has since closed its local office.
Eyewitness News' attempts to reach the owner and developer of the demolition site were unsuccessful because of the ongoing investigation.
No charges have been filed.
Reported by Robin Rieger, CBS 3
