A fire training exercise planned this weekend for a vacant building in downtown Bel Air was canceled Tuesday.
Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company was scheduled to conduct a training exercise from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the former Branch Banking and Trust building at 37 S. Main St.
The drill was canceled and will not be rescheduled, Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association spokesman Richard Gardiner said Tuesday morning.
The firefighters were scheduled to do several "evolutions" under regulated and controlled working conditions, including search and rescue, rapid intervention, ladder work and hose line advancement.
Bel Air Town Administrator Chris Schlehr said Tuesday a contractor is scheduled to come in Monday to remove any hazardous materials before demolition can begin. If during the drill the firefighters disturbed the materials, such as asbestos and lead paint, it could cause more work for the contractor and cost the town more money.