The Freedom Tower

Another Ground Zero worker and first responder has died young of cancer.
The New York press reports that William Holfester, a 43-year-old Manhattan detective who worked at Ground Zero in the wreckage after 9/11 and at a Staten Island landfill where the debris was hauled and sorted.
Relatives of the fallen police officer believe the 17-year New York Police Department veteran died of a cancer caused by his exposure to toxic air and debris at Ground Zero.
“His duty was to pretty much rake through and sift through for any personal items and body parts,” said D’Arcangelo, 53. “I’m sure the mix of all of these chemicals produced quite a mixture of noxious materials.
“We all feel it is related [to the cleanup work], but I don’t know what proof there is.”
Holfester, who worked in lower Manhattan’s 1st Precinct, put in 12-hour days for about three weeks, including weekends, after the attacks, relatives said.
NYPD officials confirmed Holfester put in “a lot of hours” during the recovery effort while assigned at Ground Zero and at a landfill, but could not provide specifics on hours or days. The family has filed for line-of-duty death benefits, the officials said.