A home in Eungella, Queensland has been completely destroyed after a fire ripped through the house on 15 January 2013 in the early hours of the morning. Firefighters were called to the scene however they were unable to go into the fire because the house contained so much asbestos that would put their health at risk. The only thing firefighters could do at that point was stop the fire moving to any of the neighboring homes.
All that remains of the home is a pile of rubble and asbestos. This site is now a safety concern, because even minimal exposure to asbestos can lead to an individual contracting an asbestos related disease such as mesothelioma.
With the number of new mesothelioma cases expected to increase within the next decade, it is extremely important that these types of dangerous situations are resolved quickly and efficiently.
Queensland and indeed Australian firefighters always need to ensure they do not inhale asbestos. Care needs to be taken not only during a fire, but also in the clean up operations. Many homes in Australia built prior to the mid 1980s contain asbestos. Australian firefighters in the past have made mesothelioma compensation claims in Australia following exposure to asbestos during the course of their work.
