California Fire Shows the Asbestos Dangers Firefighters and Residents Face
Asbestos was widely used in the US from the Industrial Revolution until the early 1980s. Many structures standing today contain asbestos that was installed decades ago. It lies in wait until the asbestos is removed, the buildings collapse, are torn down, or burn. Though structures and their contents catch fire, these cancer-causing fibers do not. They are set loose and ride hot air and smoke into the surrounding area and onto any first responders at the scene.
Historic Landmark Burns and Starts to Collapse
The north hangar at Tustin’s now-defunct Marine Corps Air Station was 17 stories high before it started burning in early November. The structure is more than 1,000 feet long and almost 300 feet wide. Three football fields could easily fit inside end-to-end.
It was constructed in 1942 and housed blimps that were part of the military’s effort in World War II to find Japanese submarines or ships that may have been off the California coast. It (and its twin, hangar one) is primarily made of wood. Both hangars are on the Register of National Historic Places.
The air station closed in 1999, and most of the property was turned over to Orange County, but the north hangar remains US Navy property, reports the Los Angeles Times. The fire started on November 7, was brought under control, then flared back up again the following weekend. The structures and fire were so big water, was dropped on it from aircraft normally used to fight forest fires.
Smoke, Ash, Chemical Fumes, and Asbestos Rain Down on Area
Local schools were closed starting two days after the fire as part of Tustin’s declaration of a local state of emergency, in part because asbestos was discovered in the ash in Tustin. The county is warning residents not to touch the ash littering the area or any charred chunks of debris that have landed on roofs, lawns, and cars.
People are advised to close their windows and to spray down patios, not sweep them. Ash on pets should be washed off, reports the Orange County Register. Tustin has hired an asbestos remediation company to start additional testing and cleaning up debris.
University of California Irvine professor Michael Kleinman researches health risks from fires. The Register quotes him as stating that, besides the asbestos danger, there’s “a very good chance” wood used in the structure was treated with arsenic and covered in lead-based paint. As the structure’s remains smolder, toxic material will continue to be released into the air.
Particles could enter nearby homes even if their windows are closed. Kleinman advises those with health conditions and children to leave the area.
Firefighters and First Responders at the Scene
During their peak use, asbestos was in thousands of products. They were used in every type of structure, in vehicles, ships, and aircraft. Without knowing it, many Americans for decades were surrounded by asbestos products while at home and where they worked. Those asbestos products are still with us. Their presence is often unknown or ignored.
For many conscientious property owners, these materials are wrapped up and encapsulated so deadly asbestos fibers won’t be released into the air. If the structure they’re in burns, that asbestos may become airborne.
While the media focuses on the impact on Tustin residents, firefighters, and first responders are far closer to the fire and more exposed to toxic substances. The fact a massive building of historic importance is destroyed gets attention, but the truth is there could be hundreds of thousands of buildings containing asbestos in the US.
Though they’re not nearly the size of the Tustin hangar, they pose the same dangers, just on a smaller scale. Firefighters come to the scene of fires, not knowing what’s inside a burning structure. They don’t respond to every fire in full hazmat suits with respirators. Asbestos is one of many life-threatening hazards firefighters face every day.
Why You Should Hire Satterley & Kelley, PLLC for Your Cancer Case
If you’re diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related cancer, you may be entitled to compensation for what you’ve endured. This includes physical and mental pain and suffering, financial costs, medical bills, and how the disease impacts your relationships. It can be due to asbestos released during accidental fires or any other source.
You need a law firm with experience representing victims taking legal action against the asbestos industry. Satterley & Kelley, PLLC attorneys have helped asbestos victims for more than 25 years.
We have relationships with the best experts in the world to help us prove that asbestos caused your injury and the physical, emotional, psychological, and financial harm you suffered.
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Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, attorneys are your boots on the ground if you or a family member in Kentucky suffers from mesothelioma or another asbestos-related condition.
To discuss your asbestos lawsuit options, and how Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help, call our office in Louisville at 502-589-5600, or toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.