Asbestos News

Fire and hazardous materials officials have reportedly been called to the scene of a fire at an abandoned factory in Plymouth, England, the BBC reports.

According to the news source, three fire crews were called to the fire, which occurred on Plymouth's Cardinal Avenue. Police were also reportedly called to the scene.

Fire service officials said that the root of the fire was discovered on the building's ground floor, where it was ultimately put out by covering jets and a hose reel, the news provider reported.

Among the hazardous materials discovered at the abandoned factory was asbestos, which can pose serious health consequences to residents in the area, particularly if the substance is disturbed and becomes airborne.

This can cause the dangerous mineral fibers to be inhaled, which can, in turn, lead to the development of a number of deadly diseases including lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that attacks the tissues surrounding a majority of the body's internal organs.

According to the UK newspaper the Mirror, approximately one person dies every five hours from mesothelioma in Britain.