Partial Building Collapse Possibly Spread Toxic Asbestos Dust

A 7-story apartment building partially collapsed in the Bronx, leaving behind a 12-foot high pile of debris on the street. An entire corner of the building came crashing down without warning, sending people on the sidewalk running as a cloud of dust engulfed the area. Given the age of the building, it’s likely that the building contained asbestos, which could have spread in the dust cloud. Firefighters dug through the huge pile of debris for several hours looking for possible victims. No one was found, two people received minor injuries and 136 people were displaced.  “Unfortunately with situations like this asbestos is the last thing on anyone’s mind,” world-renowned specialist in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma Dr. Raja Flores from Mount Sinai Hospital told The Mesothelioma Center. “The firefighters rush in to save people buried in the rubble usually without protective masks. So our heroes are exposed repeatedly since it is rarely a single event but multiple events over years.” Dr. Flores added, “Thus the workers cleaning up the area and the surrounding residents will continue to be exposed to whatever is in there. At least if they document asbestos, people will know to take precautions. Since asbestos cancer, mesothelioma and lung cancer doesn’t show up until 20 or 30 years after exposure nobody sees it as urgent.” Dangers of Asbestos Dust Officials haven’t yet confirmed if asbestos has been discovered at the site. Th...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Source Type: news