An Australian woman has suffered vandalism following destruction in her home due to a flood. Kristen Brereton and her two young sons Lincoln and Blake are staying with relatives while their home undergoes repairs after flood damage. Before the insurance company could make final decisions on compensation amounts to complete the work, the house was vandalized.
Brereton’s home was broken into. Ceilings and walls had been beaten and torn apart with hammers and boots. Several boot prints were found on the premises. The police were called in to investigate.
Such press caught the attention of Workplace Heath and Safety (WHS) inspectors. Possible asbestos exposure had become a concern. WHO inspectors took six samples from Brereton’s home for testing. Results were positive—asbestos fibers were present in the home. Not only would the vandal’s damage have to be repaired, but asbestos abatement specialists would need to do the work.
Ms. Brereton said, “Everything is on hold for us at the moment. These vermin who broke into my house and smashed the walls – this is all because of them.” Her move home is postponed while additional insurance details are worked out and the asbestos threats can be cleared.
Asbestos fibers can cause severe respiratory conditions including the rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is begun by a mutation in the lung lining cells started by asbestos fibers that have been inhaled. This mutation grows into an irregularly patterned system of malignant tumors.
Mesothelioma typically takes decades to develop after initial asbestos exposure. Patients who have no idea they were exposed to asbestos may never know to be checked for mesothelioma. Diagnosis can be difficult even when symptoms do occur as the coughing and wheezing associated with mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as bronchitis or pneumonia.
Australia as well as the UK and US have growing asbestos awareness campaigns and initiatives as decades of past asbestos use now peaks in mesothelioma cases. Fifteen to twenty thousand mesothelioma cases are estimated annually worldwide. The World Health Organization expects that number to quickly reach ninety thousand if asbestos use patterns are not drastically minimized.
Ms. Brereton is anxious to get her family back home. She said “Our insurer told us they are about four weeks behind, but seeing as though we have an urgent health issue at the house now, that they might try to get to us a bit sooner.” She continued, “In the end it will be okay I suppose – as long as the insurance comes through.”
This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 at 6:48 AM and is filed under General, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
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