A buildup of fumes from a solvent closed the Kailua-Kona Post Office retail lobby on Friday morning.
The counter area of the post office was off limits until shortly after lunch, with a sign advising customers that an unexpected occurrence had closed the facility until authorities gave clearance to open.
The postmaster decided to not open the counter area Friday morning after employees detected a buildup of fumes from a solvent used to remove asbestos-containing glue. Contractors had applied the solvent the night before as part of a carpet removal project at the Palani Road facility. The building was ventilated and reopened at 1 p.m..
“The decision to reopen was made after a mid-day assessment of the air quality in the post office determined that the morning-long ventilation of the facility had eliminated any hazard associated with the overnight use of the solvent in the office,” spokesman Duke Gonzales said from Honolulu in an email response to questions.
Customers were able to use a kiosk for credit and debit card purchases of postage during the closure, and were able to access their mailboxes. The self-service kiosk was capable of handling any shipping or mailing need except oversized packages and mail needing a customs form, according to the USPS.
Mail continued to be processed at the delivery operations area, which is set apart from the retail lobby. Gonzales said mail delivery was expected to be delayed until about 4 p.m. Friday.