Fire, asbestos close University of Windsor biology building

The University of Windsor closed its biology building Wednesday after a small fire broke out in one of the labs.

Dennis Higgs, an associate professor and the school’s head of biology, said the incident happened in the ceiling above his lab.

“There was a bang and some smoke,” he said.

Higgs said Windsor Fire and Rescue responded.

“In their efforts to find the source of the smoke, they exposed some of the asbestos fibers we have and they shut down the building,” Higgs said.

He said no one was injured but that there was a question about the air quality after the asbestos was exposed.

The University of Windsor had no timetable as to when the building would open again.