Asbestos News

A fire that broke out in a warehouse in St. Helens, UK, has led to concerns that asbestos-containing materials may have been spread throughout the environment.

According to the St. Helens Reporter, fire crews from a number of local areas were called to the scene of the blaze at Central Grange Environmental Waste in the early morning hours of October 30.

Once firefighters got the blaze under control, asbestos was reportedly discovered in the roof of the warehouse, but it was determined that the carcinogenic mineral fibers did not spread beyond the perimeter of the site.

Additionally, an environmental health officer was at the site and confirmed that the health of the public had not been threatened as a result of the fire, with the asbestos having been contained. Still, the warehouse and its contents were completely destroyed, the news provider said.

It is critical that asbestos is contained following such fires as the inhalation of the dangerous mineral fibers can lead to the development of lung cancer, asbestosis and the rare cancer malignant mesothelioma. Such illnesses kill approximately 107,000 people around the world each year, the World Health Organization estimates.