I see your basic point. But on the few occasions when we had to do just that - don the monkey suits - and go do our jobs, we did so promptly, even when the ruins were still smoking. I do not know why asbestos would have been used in the construction of a passive platform canopy in the first place, But even if it actually was, the hazard will remain there forever until people do in fact don the monkey suits and get to it.

Also, if asbestos is suspected; dust remediation, in monkey suits, should already be going on. That really can't wait. In the open air, it can get much worse in a hurry, if it does wait very long.

There very well may be a fair explanation for the delayed start in this case, but I am not privy to it, nor does my own past experience in somewhat similar conditions suggest an explanation either. And I have gone down in to clean up some pretty hairy disasters in my time - tunnel train fires, derailing trains hitting interlocking towers, several power substation explosions; just to name a few (talk about polyurethane gas, asbestos and PCB hazards). In all such cases, forensic evidence was taken as soon as possible, typically before cleanup was fully underway.

I would be interested to know their rational for the delay in detail. But we will probably never hear an accurate media report on such technical details. Possibly, an old associate that is still working will have access to the that info, and I will find out that way. If I do, I will let you know.