RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A new development emerged Friday in the continuously unfolding Poe Hall investigation at NC State University.
A former employee and student, Sandra Alford, filed a petition in which she claims she has reason to believe evidence related to Poe Hall “may have been and/or is being altered, modified, or destroyed by NCSU.”
This filing comes just two days after the university took its own legal action—against Monsanto, the chemical company connected to Poe Hall. In it, NC State alleges Monsanto marked the PCBs as non-toxic, but knew these claims were false.
Poe Hall has been closed since November 2023 after testing discovered suspected chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls, better known as PCBs, linked to HVAC systems. These contaminants had been tied to potential cancer clusters amongst those who regularly spent time in the building, including graduate alumnus Darren Masier, who has leukemia.
Alford, who also has cancer (stage 2 breast cancer), cited her diagnosis and more adverse health effects in her Friday petition filing, saying they are believed to be related to the environmental contamination within Poe Hall and its HVAC system.
What does the filing claim NC State did?
Alford’s legal team has made multiple attempts to communicate with NCSU regarding evidence preservation and remediation plans, according to the filing, which is a petition for relief and preliminary injunction. In it, the team claims:
- NCSU’s counsel ignored proposals for a Communication Agreement and a Tolling Agreement from Alford’s legal team.
- NCSU has refused to provide documentation about remediation activities and has proceeded with plans without consultation.
- Recent observations indicate ongoing remediation efforts at Poe Hall, raising concerns about potential evidence spoliation.
What are the ‘recent observations’?
According to Alford, recent observations documented with photos outside Poe Hall suggest ongoing remediation efforts that may compromise evidence related to PCB exposure.
Photos include “tarps and other materials” that are present one day and no longer present in a subsequent photo. A large, covered piece of equipment was also photographed in the parking lot adjacent to Poe Hall.
“A large crane that could reach the roof and the HVAC system housed there was still on site, as were cars and trucks from an HVAC company, and from NCSU Health and Safety,” the petition stated.
All images attached to support these claims are below.
Alford’s counsel has documented these activities and said they had requested clarification from NCSU, which has not been provided.
What comes next?
Through the filing, Alford seeks a preliminary injunction to ensure evidence preservation and access for further testing in Poe Hall.
The petition also requests that NCSU not alter the environmental conditions in Poe Hall until further testing is completed. Alford’s legal team has also made it clear they want documentation of NCSU’s activities and a written remediation plan before any further work is done.
CBS 17 has reached out to NC State University for its response to the filing and has not heard back.