April 28th, 2008

A fire in an elderly home is causing more problems even after the flames were out. Tenants in the building are not allowed to retrieve items from their homes due to asbestos released after the fire.

A fire that ripped through a public elderly housing project is not creating more problems for the affected tenants. People living in the affected buildings are not allowed to go back into their homes to retrieve belongs due to danger of asbestos exposure. The fire exposed asbestos, and removing items like clothing could potentially expose residents to airborne asbestos. Housing authorities are asking for more time to try and work out a schedule of payment to clean up the asbestos so tenants could get their personal items. Others are proposing that waivers could be supplied, telling residents that returning to their units could lead to asbestos exposure.

While high levels of asbestos have only been found in two of the 210 units. Environmental agents say that any level of asbestos is dangerous. When asbestos is disturbed it can be become airborne, allowing particles to be inhaled into the lungs. Breathing in airborne asbestos particles can lead to respiratory diseases like mesothelioma, asbestosis and emphysema. Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases can take years to diagnose.