LIVERMORE FALLS – Hazardous materials have been found in a burned-out apartment building on Main Street that the town now owns, interim Town Manager Kristal Flagg told selectmen Tuesday.

The board declared the building at 90 Main St. “dangerous” in December and ordered it to be demolished. Two teenagers were accused of torching it in March 2008.

The town took ownership of the building Feb. 2 for unpaid back taxes and sewer fees by Thomas Harville of Skowhegan.

Flagg temporarily suspended the demolish order in January after speaking to a representative of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, which recommended a hazardous material survey be done.

Acadia Contractors in Turner was contacted to do the survey and sent the samples to the DEP for testing.

Flagg said the results showed mercury in the light switches, fluorescent light bulbs, numerous old paint cans, two refrigerators, a large chest freezer, asbestos siding on the back and side of the garage, and asbestos in pipe insulation and the furnace. There is also a big drum full of some unknown substance, she said.

“Bottom line is it’s going to cost a lot of money to have it removed,” she said.

Acadia quoted a price of $9,850, she said. The price includes inspection and removal of hazardous material.

The DEP recommended the company, Flagg said.

Highway Department foreman Bill Nichols pointed out the DEP representative said there were only two other companies in the region licensed to do this type of work.

Chairwoman Louise Chabot said she didn’t know where the money would come from for the material removal and the demolition.

There is money in contingency and surplus that could cover the project, Flagg said.

Selectman Bill Demaray and others agreed they should seek bids for demolition and ask voters to transfer money from the surplus account to pay for it.