Asbestos News
Asbestos concerns arise after New Zealand house fire
The century-old Allenby Terrace house in Wellington, New Zealand, recently went down in flames, prompting concerns from local citizens about the potential for asbestos being released into the air, reports The Dominion Post.According to the news source, Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean said that there was a significant amount of asbestos discovered in the walls and roof of the structure following the fire.
"Allenby Terrace is a busy pedestrian thoroughfare to the university so we are working to close it off today," MacLean told the news source. "We are also working with police and the Fire Service in trying to make the site safe."
The news source reported that a dozen fire trucks were dispatched to the scene of the fire, with fire crews needing to be decontaminated after the blaze was put out due to the potential for asbestos exposure.
Such exposure can be deadly, as the World Health Organization estimates that approximately 107,000 people across the globe succumb to asbestos-related illnesses such as lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma each year.
9/15/11
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