For most people, in particular New Yorkers, September 11th 2001 will be remembered as the day that the world stood still and watched in horror as the Twin Towers at the World Trade Centre crashed down after a terrorist attack of unprecedented scale. As many watched the television helplessly, thousands of rescue workers poured into the city to help in any way they could.
At the time that the towers collapsed, thousands of tonnes of construction dust were released into the air; dust from the pulverised components used in the construction of the world-renowned structures. The events were unprecedented and no one could have been prepared for such an atrocity taking place.
Thousands of people were killed on this fateful day, either through being burnt by the flames that roared through the towers after the impact of the jet planes, during the collapse of the towers or by falling debris. However, there was a less immediate, almost silent killer that would not materialise until several weeks after the event.
Built back in the late 1960s, the Twin Towers used asbestos in their construction. At this time asbestos was extremely popular because of capability of insulating (both thermal and sound), whilst providing fire resistance. These were all very appealing qualities in a construction. However, in the 1980s asbestos was banned in the construction of buildings because the dangers it posed to health when breathed in became apparent. When the towers collapsed, thousands of tonnes of asbestos were released into the air.
Within just a few weeks, many people that were in the area at the time had begun to complain of respiratory problems. Up to 4,000 rescue workers that were at the scene had developed some sort of asbestos related illness after the collapse of the towers. One of the first recorded fatalities, directly linked to the asbestos released at the time of the collapse was that of Deborah Reeve. She was a rescue worker on the scene when the towers collapsed. She developed mesothelioma, a condition related to asbestos exposure, and sadly passed away in 2006. Since her death, and after many more similar cases, doctors in New York have urged citizens who may have been exposed on 9/11 to seek regular medical checks.
At the time that the towers collapsed, thousands of tonnes of construction dust were released into the air; dust from the pulverised components used in the construction of the world-renowned structures. The events were unprecedented and no one could have been prepared for such an atrocity taking place.
Thousands of people were killed on this fateful day, either through being burnt by the flames that roared through the towers after the impact of the jet planes, during the collapse of the towers or by falling debris. However, there was a less immediate, almost silent killer that would not materialise until several weeks after the event.
Built back in the late 1960s, the Twin Towers used asbestos in their construction. At this time asbestos was extremely popular because of capability of insulating (both thermal and sound), whilst providing fire resistance. These were all very appealing qualities in a construction. However, in the 1980s asbestos was banned in the construction of buildings because the dangers it posed to health when breathed in became apparent. When the towers collapsed, thousands of tonnes of asbestos were released into the air.
Within just a few weeks, many people that were in the area at the time had begun to complain of respiratory problems. Up to 4,000 rescue workers that were at the scene had developed some sort of asbestos related illness after the collapse of the towers. One of the first recorded fatalities, directly linked to the asbestos released at the time of the collapse was that of Deborah Reeve. She was a rescue worker on the scene when the towers collapsed. She developed mesothelioma, a condition related to asbestos exposure, and sadly passed away in 2006. Since her death, and after many more similar cases, doctors in New York have urged citizens who may have been exposed on 9/11 to seek regular medical checks.
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Those affected by the asbestos on 9/11 could be entitled to mesothelioma compensation.