p>In Montpelier, Vermont, a December fire has been investigated by local officials and will likely be found to not be a case of arson. Vermont State Police arson investigators and Montpelier Fire Chief Gesualdo Schneider have investigated the fire at an historic apartment building that was once a schoolhouse.

"Investigators were over there (in December) looking at that," Schneider said. "They still need to get a little information. It is OK for tenants to go into the areas. They should work through the Police Department so we don’t have people wandering around there," said Schneider, adding that while the tenants can visit the site, the building will not be ready for occupants to live in full time for many months.

The massive blaze took 62 firefighters to bring under control. The building, while structurally sound, does have smoke damage. The building also contains asbestos, which will complicate renovations, according to City Manager William Fraser. Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, which is known to affect less than 3,000 Americans each year. While there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before the first symptoms emerge.

"It appears the building is salvageable," Fraser said, but added, "That floor will have to be demolished and taken out. That building will be closed for months, at least, perhaps longer as we choose what to do with it."

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