Asbestos News

The firefighters who were called on to put out a blaze at a former UK factory are telling local residents that any risk of asbestos contamination is "absolutely minimal," the BBC reports.

The fire reportedly occurred at a former turkey factory in North Yorkshire, the news provider said. Residents living nearby were urged to stay indoors and close their windows because of the thick smoke that had resulted from the fire.

While the fire service admitted that there was "low grade" asbestos at the site, they added that they had worked to prevent the dust from becoming airborne.

"We employed a number of water sprays to suppress any dust off that so the risk was absolutely minimal," Rob Horton, of the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, told the news source.

It is important that asbestos be properly handled after fires as the inhalation of the deadly mineral fibers can cause a number of serious illnesses including asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer.

One day after the fire occurred, fire officials returned to the scene in order to determine the cause, which they believe to be accidental, according to the news provider.