About 200 soldiers relocated after mold found in Fort Bragg barracks

Oct. 22 (UPI) -- About 200 soldiers at North Carolina's Fort Bragg were moved from their barracks this month after mold was found in two buildings on the installation.

According to Army officials, Fort Bragg's Department of Public Works inspected the barracks buildings on Oct. 8 after a soldier reported mold onsite.

According to Maj. Dan Lessard, a spokesman for the command that oversees the 528th Special Operations Sustainment Brigade, the original complaint was filed anonymously online in mid-September.

After the inspection, soldiers were moved out of two buildings housing troops with t, but according to that brigade, none of the soldiers had displayed illnesses or other issues related to the mold.

Officials are continuing to monitor the soldiers' health, Lessard said.

"Our soldiers are our most valuable asset, and it is our responsibility to protect their health and welfare," Maj. Gen. John Brennan, the commander of 1st Special Forces Command, said in a prepared statement. "This issue has the full attention of our entire command team, and we are continuing to work with DPW to resolve these issues as soon as possible."

The affected soldiers were moved to other units' barracks on the base or to hotels in the area, according to Lessard.

Lessard also extensive work would need to be conducted on the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to prevent further mold growth.