2 weeks Ago
A year ago today, an historic World War II blimp hangar caught fire in Tustin, setting off a public health emergency as toxic debris from the fire fell over surrounding neighborhoods. Life has mostly resumed to normal around the former military base where the hangar’s skeleton, and its surviving twin, sit. But cleanup of the toxic remains — which contained asbestos and lead — is ongoing.
The fire broke out in the early hours of Nov. 7, 2023. More than 100 firefighters and two water-dropping helicopters initially responded to the blaze.
They found no working hydrant near the smoking hangar, according to documents obtained by LAist earlier this year. Ultimately, firefighters decided the risk that the structure would collapse was too great, and they let the fire burn out. It took 24 days.
The massive hangar — 17 stories high and covering an area larger than five football fields — contained a large amount of asbestos, a popular building material at the time now known to cause cancer and lung disease. Public health officials detected asbestos in fallout from the hangar fire at least three miles northeast of the hangar. People reported fire debris as far as 10 miles from the hangar site, according to a map created by LAist using a city database obtained through a records request.
In all, LAist identified 1,382 addresses where either a resident reported debris from the hangar fire or a city contractor inspected a property for fire debris. LAist mapped 1,382 locations were debris from the Tustin hangar fire was reported. See the toxic footprint below; read the story here .
Hazardous waste crews spent months combing neighborhoods, cleaning up the debris from sidewalks, patios and yards. Months after the fire burnt out, some neighbors were still reluctant to take walks outside. One neighbor interviewed by LAist moved to Texas because of her concern that asbestos debris is still lingering in the community.
The cause of the fire that torched the hangar is still under investigation, according to a spokesperson for the Orange County Fire Authority. They said the length of time to investigate was not unusual for such a complex fire. The U.
S. Navy is four months into an expected year-long cleanup effort at the hangar site. The toxic remains have to be packaged and sealed in a negative pressure tent and then transported offsite to a hazardous waste facility.
In August, workers finished deconstructing the massive hangar doors — the steel was recycled; the damaged wood, tainted with lead paint, was hauled off as hazardous waste, according to the Navy’s project website . Air monitoring continues around the hangar site and in the surrounding community during the cleanup. The city of Tustin reported in October that the hangar fire and aftermath had cost it $86.
8 million as of late summer. The Navy has promised to reimburse the city up to $103.3 million for its emergency response to the fire, according to their latest agreement.
Between the elections, the economy, climate and more, LAist is covering Southern California like never before. We are here for you every single day, bringing you stories that inform, inspire, and engage. But we cannot do this essential work without your help.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you. At a time when the need for local journalism has never been greater, many newsrooms are facing cutbacks, including LAist. Member support – your support – is what will sustain a free press in Southern California.
LAist’s mission is to be here for you, so please be here for us now with a donation to power our trusted local reporting. Step up right now and make the choice to give. Because that’s exactly what it is - a choice.
But it is not a choice without consequences. If readers do not choose to step up and donate, the future of fact-based news in Southern California will not be as strong. No matter what happens in the world, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust.
Thank you for your generous support. Sincerely,.
