Asbestos was released Wednesday after a boiler exploded at UW-Whitewater's power plant near Esker Dining Hall.
Interim Chancellor Richard Telfer said the university is working on cleaning up the area, and no student is in danger of inhaling asbestos, particles that can cause Mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer.
"It is unlikely that much asbestos got out of the building," Telfer said. "We had people come in and check the air quality in Esker and everything was OK."
Telfer said when cleanup work is complete, crews will check the air quality once more before reopening Esker for lunch Friday.
"We just didn't want to take any risks because Esker is so close to the power plant," he said.
Executive Director of Residence Life Jeff Janz said initially the university was concerned asbestos could contaminate the nearby residence halls because it can travel up to 75 feet and winds were blowing in the direction of buildings at the time of the explosion.
"We were prepared to deal with an evacuation because of [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] standards," Janz said. "But the state agencies performed tests and deemed the area alright for living conditions."
Janz said all of the windows in the power plan are closed off, and there is no longer any threat of contamination.
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