Yukon’s Environment Department halted the demolition of an old warehouse on Whitehorse’s Quartz Road on Monday after it found workers burning plastic.
The toxic stink produced by the fire led residents to complain to the department, which sent an inspector to the site.
The inspector found plastic mixed into a pile of untreated wood that had been set ablaze, said Nancy Campbell, a spokesperson for Environment.
Calls to Yukon’s Public Works department, which owns the warehouse and is managing its demolition, were not returned before deadline.
Old CYFN building has date with wrecking ball
Contractors are preparing to tear down the old Council of Yukon First Nations administration building in Riverdale.
A fence has been erected and the building is being sealed to prevent the release of asbestos.
But the building won’t be torn down until the end of the school year, to diminish the impact on students across the road at Christ the King elementary school.
“This work will in no way put staff, students, or area residents at risk,” states a press release by Indian and Northern Affairs.
“The work area will be fenced in by a security fence, protected by airtight barriers, air will be filtered and monitored, and no unauthorized access to the site will be possible,” states the release.
The demolition is being conducted by RJ and Associates.