Asbestos News

Asbestos specialists have been brought to the site of a fire in the Australian state of New South Wales to assess the danger posed by the burned-down structure.

The fire - which was the second in a week at the apartment block in Wauchope - was started by a resident's oxygen tank, according to the Port Macquarie News.

Fires in older buildings can present serious dangers even after the flames go out as such structures were often built with asbestos because of its insulating properties and resistance to fire. Fires can spread the deadly mineral fibers throughout the area, and if these fibers are inhaled they can cause a number of serious illnesses such as asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma.

Due to these dangers, residents said they were relieved when the asbestos experts arrived on the scene.

"They walked around and looked at the levels of asbestos and we’ve got the answers we want now; they said it was safe," resident Kylie Vanacker told the news provider.

Vanacker was also told by fire and rescue crews to clean the outside of her house and her floors to ensure that no asbestos was present. In addition, she had her air-conditioning ducts cleaned twice by professionals.