Chicago health officials abruptly shut down Dearborn Wholesale Grocers, the small grocery at 1841 W. 79th St. in the Beverly View area, on Friday after inspectors documented what they called a “serious asbestos risk” at the store. The market will stay closed until the owner carries out a city-approved plan to remove or contain the hazardous material. Neighbors who shopped there in early April were given instructions on how to safely throw out items and clean any potentially contaminated clothing and household surfaces.
Inspectors reported finding an open dumpster outside the building that was filled with asbestos-containing material, and they documented abatement work that disturbed the store’s floor tiles while both workers and customers were still inside, as reported by Block Club Chicago. The Chicago Department of Public Health responded with emergency cease-and-desist and abatement orders for the property owner and taped closure notices to the storefront, the outlet reported. Reporters left a message seeking comment from Dearborn Wholesale Grocers…