Asbestos exposure a concern after historic former elementary school burns in Fayette County

The Fayette County Fire Department is keeping continuous watch on the smoldering remains of the former Somerville Elementary School in an effort to contain any disturbed asbestos that may be present at the site.

The former school caught fire on July 4. The historic building, which was built in 1936 and is located in a residential area, had been vacant for more than a decade. 

Because of the building’s age and the potential presence of asbestos-containing materials, the Fayette County Emergency Management Agency sought hazard mitigation guidance from the Tennessee Emergency Management Authority and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).

TDEC recommended “keeping the debris wet to minimize the potential for airborne asbestos fibers and maintaining a continuous water supply on remaining hot spots,” the Fayette County EMA stated Monday. The county fire department is continuously monitoring and dousing the site with water.

“We understand the community’s concerns and appreciate your patience as we continue working closely with our state partners to help ensure the safety of our residents,” Fayette County EMA stated.

Asbestos is a heat-resistant fibrous mineral commonly used in building materials and other manufactured goods before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned all new uses in 1989. Asbestos fibers can enter the air or water when asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, including during building demolition, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen, meaning it can increase the risk of cancer in people. Continuously breathing in high levels of asbestos fibers can cause asbestosis, a disease where scar tissue develops in and around the lungs, though this is mainly seen in workers with long-term exposure, according to the CDC.

Fayette County Mayor Rhea “Skip” Taylor stated Monday that the original portion of the school “appears to be a total loss” and parts of the site continued to smoke and “sometimes blaze” into Monday evening. 

“Remediation efforts will start soon to remove the debris from the site and to return it to a usable state,” Taylor wrote. “The public is asked to remain off the site for safety reasons.”

Fire departments from Somerville, Oakland and Fayette County responded to the fire. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is assisting in an ongoing investigation to determine the fire’s cause.

“Its loss will be felt by many in the community,” Taylor stated. “This facility was a historical landmark as well as a central part of the education of many in the community.”

The one-story South Main Street brick building replaced the old Somerville Female Institute in the late 1930s, according to a Somerville inventory submitted to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The school was among schools in Fayette County forced to desegregate in the 1960s after Black students and their families filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Fayette County Board of Education in 1965.

In September 1969, the predominantly white Somerville Elementary School reported just 75 students out of roughly 400 enrollees attended class as the school desegregated. Attendees on Sept. 11, 1969 included 39 Black students and 35 white students, according to an article in The Commercial Appeal. The newspaper also reported that some Black students were turned away from the elementary school when they attempted to enroll.

The Fayette County School District remains under a consent decree holding it accountable to federal desegregation obligations and reporting requirements.