Yesterday morning bright and early, the Park Service closed the park at Fort Reno citing massive arsenic toxicity in the soil on the site. The soil samples reported to the press were between 500 and 1,100 parts per million, or roughly 10 to 25 times the legal “safe” limit.
If you’re wondering what’s to become of the awesome concert series at Fort Reno, you’re not alone. The organizing group is looking for an alternate site if the park can’t be decontaminated quickly, as well as donations to cover the sound system and stage personnel for the concert series. If you can chip in, please do so. The Fort Reno concert series is definitely one of those awesome local events that makes DC such a great place to live.
The causes of the arsenic levels is unclear, but the Post posits a theory that it may have to do with the Civil War dead buried on the Park’s grounds, as they were likely embalmed with an arsenic-based embalming method.
If you’re concerned about arsenic poisoning, please contact poison control or go to the ER, pronto.
Arsenic — Originally uploaded by Dave Ward Photography
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
I live and work in the District of Columbia. I write at We Love DC, a blog I helped start, I work at Technolutionary, a company I helped start, and I’m happy doing both. I enjoy watching baseball, cooking, and gardening. I grow a mean pepper, keep a clean scorebook, and wash the dishes when I’m done. Read Why I Love DC.
