Close to 126 residents of an apartment complex, which was set on fire by an arsonist, have been displaced because the blaze exposed asbestos in the buildings. The fire broke out at about 1am on Saturday morning.
An arsonist started the fire using an accelerant in the hallway of one building, which quickly spread to the two other buildings in the complex. Some residents had to pass through billowing black smoke to escape the blaze and now fear that they have been exposed to asbestos.
Asbestos is present in many structures built throughout the 20th century. When undisturbed it doesn’t pose a serious health risk, but when asbestos fibers become airborne and are inhaled it can cause a number of respiratory illnesses, one of which is mesothelioma, a fatal cancer that affects the lining of the lungs. Sufferers of this disease find that they require the representation of mesothelioma attorneys to seek compensation to pay for their medical care.
The residents, who returned on Sunday to retrieve their belongings, found that the buildings were surrounded in yellow tape and they were not allowed in the buildings. People wearing protective gear would retrieve only a couple of items like cell phones and wallets for the displaced residents.
Management for the complex is testing the air quality before they will allow people to return to their apartments. They are taking actions to protect the residents from unnecessary danger.
In the past, companies and businesses have not taken proper steps to prevent asbestos exposure, and as a consequence many people have hired mesothelioma attorneys to hold them accountable. Mesothelioma lawyers can obtain the money these cancer patients need to pay for their accumulating medical bills.
