HOULTON – The federal Environmental Protection Agency has taken over cleanup of a downtown fire site where asbestos contamination has become a health issue.

An EPA representative toured the fire site Thursday morning and later met with town representatives to discuss pending cleanup operations.

The cleanup could begin as soon as next Tuesday, according to Town Manager Peggy Daigle.

The fire in the early morning hours of Nov. 20, 2002, destroyed three apartments and three businesses in the Smith Building at the west end of Market Square in downtown Houlton.

Mark Antworth, 40, of Houlton is awaiting trial for allegedly setting the fire. He has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity to the charge.

Cleanup efforts have been hampered by the fact that the asbestos siding that had covered the 41/2-story building was broken up and became friable when the building collapsed. As such, loose particles of asbestos could become airborne and pose a health threat.

This week, the fire debris at the site was covered with tarps to reduce that risk. A company was hired to dispose of small amounts of asbestos on sidewalks, flower beds and the road beside the fire site.

Before the EPA became involved, the biggest problem was that neither the property owner, Donald Goodridge of Houlton, the town, nor the state Department of Environmental Protection had any money to pay for the cleanup, which by one estimate could be as much as $500,000.

“Don Goodridge is as much a victim as the community,” Daigle said. “He didn’t light the fire. It was arson.”

She credited a telephone call this week from U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe’s office to the EPA in Boston with getting the federal effort started.

“I think that had a big impact,” she said.

Dave Lackey, Snowe’s press secretary, said Thursday that the potential financial impact of the cleanup on the town, as well as the negative visual impression the debris has on the downtown area were of concern to Snowe.

“It’s really good news for Houlton,” he said of the EPA’s quick response.

He said $100,000 already has been earmarked to get the project started, though more funds probably would be needed.

Thursday’s meeting between the EPA and town officials was intended to provide a sketch of what will take place next week, even as plans were still being drawn up.

The cleanup effort could take seven to 10 days, Daigle said, with as many as 10 sealed trucks being used daily to haul the contaminated debris to a licensed disposal site in Norridgewock.

The site then will be filled in and seeded with grass, before being returned to Goodridge.

During the cleanup, air-monitoring equipment will be set up in the area and a decontamination station will be set up for people involved in the cleanup.

“We’re trying to work with the EPA to see what we can provide [for assistance] from the municipal side,” Daigle said.

The town’s fire, public works and police departments are expected to be used in the cleanup.

While the cleanup is going on, traffic will be affected in the Market Square area. Concrete barriers will be set up around the site.

Information will be provided to residents and businesses about what to expect while the cleanup is going on, as well as what precautions to take.

An overview of the project will be made at the start of next week’s Town Council meeting set for 6:30 p.m. at the town office.