(Hai Fe) - Black mold, known as one of the types of mold that is toxic and dangerous to health, is flooding the walls in the central public shelter on Sderot Moriah in Haifa. Although this is a public shelter which is intended to be a protected place during an alarm and to provide shelter for residents during war, the condition of the place causes great concern.
The shelter, located on the corner of Moriah Wolfson Boulevard, is used not only for protection, but also as a center for youth activities throughout the year. Although it includes toilets and a small kitchenette, its walls are full of black, fungal and toxic mold, which endangers the health of everyone who enters the place - especially when it is a shelter where people are required to stay in an emergency.
The resident of the city, who was forced to enter the shelter yesterday (Monday 11/11/24) during an alarm, described in a face-to-face conversation the frightening sight that was revealed to him: "When I entered the shelter, it was a horror. Everything is full of mold and it is a health hazard. The smell was suffocating and I contacted the Haifa municipality for a hotline 106. They told me they would take care of it."
As you know, the black mold is a mold found in humid environments, and spreads quickly on walls, ceilings and floors. Beyond the aesthetic damage it causes, the mold is very dangerous to health. Its spores, which can spread through the air, may cause respiratory problems, allergic reactions, skin irritations, and even more serious illnesses, especially in people with a weakened immune system.
Prolonged exposure to black mold may worsen existing health conditions and adversely affect public health in the long term. While the public shelters are opened to the general public in emergency situations, there is an immediate need to address this problem to prevent a health risk to the residents.
The residents hope that the municipality will take immediate action to address this health hazard and make sure that the public shelters will be ready for use by the public in cases of emergency - without endangering their health.
The municipality of Haifa said to Haifa:The shelter in question was flooded with sewage, which caused a lot of damage. The sewage is pumped and the place is dried and ventilated for a long time. For the purpose of restoring the shelter, a detailed plan was prepared and budgeted, however, due to the number of alarms in Haifa in recent times, an exact date has not yet been set for the start of the works, since in order to carry them out, the place needs to be shut down for about two weeks. At this stage the shelter is open to the public for a short stay and at the same time the possibility of reducing the duration of the works as much as possible will be examined."
It is important during an emergency to treat quickly....after all, it is a crowded and necessary place. Enough with the tests. handle!
The black mold is also found around many swimming pools. Why doesn't the municipal or government health ministry take care of this?.
I live in Hadar we had a siren one day a few years ago and our shelter opened although it was short lived. I went down there and it looked clean but I could smell the mold. I experience some mobility issues especially with stairs so I didn't go down during any of the sirens. I have serious allergies to mold and I'm more likely to die from it than a bomb. I live on the ground floor so I just go to the inner hallway of my apartment when the siren goes off.