California + Major Fire = Public Asbestos Exposure (Again)

Compared to decades ago, a small fraction of the amount of asbestos is being sold now. But that doesn’t mean it’s not still out there in homes, vehicles, and industrial areas. California is the scene of annual massive, devastating fires that release asbestos once inside structures into the open air. This year’s fires in Los Angeles are no different, and they point out the ongoing dangers of asbestos to first responders and the public at large.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a natural, microscopic mineral fiber that’s exceptionally light and strong. It’s also heat, fire, electricity, chemical, and corrosion resistant. It’s been used in thousands of products for centuries because of these properties.

Asbestos has been added to everything from hairdryers to aircraft, toasters to cement, brakes to cloth. Although asbestos sales largely ended in the US from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, asbestos products are still in buildings and vehicles nationwide.

Why is Asbestos Dangerous?

The qualities that make asbestos attractive to manufacturers also make it hazardous. It’s incredibly light and durable. Fibers are released when asbestos-containing products are created, installed, damaged, or destroyed. The fibers float through the air, where anyone in the area can inhale or swallow them. They then end up inside the body, where they become stuck.

The body’s immune response cannot remove or destroy the fibers. Instead, scarring and inflammation occur where fibers are located. Over decades, this process causes genetic changes in affected cells, and they may become malignant, resulting in potentially many different cancer types, including mesothelioma.

How Do Structure Fires Relate to Asbestos Exposure?

Fires started in hilly sections of Los Angeles at the beginning of January. By the middle of the month, almost 38,000 acres had burned, according to CBS News. The fires killed at least 27 people, destroyed more than 12,000 buildings, and forced the evacuation of up to 200,000 people. Housing in the area is some of the country’s most expensive, pushing up economic damage estimates of $250 to $275 billion, according to the New York Times.

JSE Labs has this list of 37 asbestos-containing products that could be found in a home. There could be hundreds more asbestos-containing products in commercial and industrial buildings.

Although asbestos fibers don’t burn, fire can destroy the building where these products are located. The building may collapse and crush the area, sending the fibers into the superheated air created by the structure fire.

Last year, the burning of a giant aircraft hangar in Tustin caused asbestos hazards to the public in California. This year, thousands of smaller buildings in Los Angeles have been destroyed.

Have the Los Angeles Fires Exposed the Public to Asbestos Fibers?

Because asbestos-containing products were installed in structures in Los Angeles and never removed, fibers were put into the air when they burned.

Citing airborne pollutants and a lack of running water, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department temporarily closed its station in the Altadena section of the county on January 16, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The department received a letter from the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health stating it received a complaint about contamination in the workplace and decided to temporarily close the station until it could be made safe.

The previous day, the Sheriff’s Department sent an urgent message to its patrol cars, warning deputies in Altadena that the air was so toxic that they should wear N95 masks and decontaminate their uniforms before entering their homes.

The message stated that the county fire department’s hazmat team reported that air tests found the area hazardous because it contained asbestos, lead, and other “harmful particulates.”

Burning trees and other natural vegetation can create many pollutants that can end up deep in the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing respiratory and other health problems. When smoke from burning buildings enters the mix, there are additional toxins, including chemicals and asbestos fibers.

Call Us Today for A Free Consultation

If you or a family member developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease while or after working as a firefighter or other first responder, Satterley & Kelley attorneys can answer your questions and discuss your rights to compensation and how to protect them.

Call our Louisville law office at 855-385-9532. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule a free initial legal consultation.