Asbestos at Wauchope fire site
ASBESTOS experts have assessed the site of a Wauchope apartment fire.
Asbestos assessors on Friday arrived at a fire-damaged apartment block in Nelson Street, Wauchope, after a fire on Wednesday night.
Flames leapt more than three metres above the roof at 9.20pm and 17 fire crew took 90 minutes to contain the fire.
It was the second fire at the unit block in a week.
Two men were taken to Port Macquarie Base Hospital after the block of eight caught alight five days earlier, sparked from a resident’s oxygen therapy unit.
A 78-year-old man was still in intensive care last week.
Wauchope resident Kylie Vanacker, 37, said she was relieved when asbestos assessment team arrived on Friday.
Ms Vanacker lives across the street with her children aged 8, 6 and 3.
“They walked around and looked at the levels of asbestos and we’ve got the answers we want now; they said it was safe,” Ms Vanacker said.
But she waited nervously before Friday’s all clear, Ms Vanacker said.
She spent much of last week cleaning and re-cleaning her walls and floors on the advice of fire and rescue crew.
A ducted air-conditioning system was professionally cleaned twice to remove asbestos dust, she said.
“The back of my house was completely full of smoke.
“I wanted details; I just wanted to know if it was okay,” she said.
“The block is absolutely full of asbestos (and) we didn’t know what to do next.”
Wauchope Fire Service Acting Captain Robert Pursehouse said asbestos was most dangerous when on fire.
“When we arrived the front unit was engulfed in flames.
“Our crews wore breathing apparatus to extinguish the blaze,” he said.
Police forensics officers investigated the cause of the second fire.
Mr Pursehouse said the second fire was being treated as suspicious.
A hazardous materials truck and three fire and rescue vehicles attended.
Port Macquarie Fire Service Station Officer Dawn Maynard said the asbestos was contained within the site.
“It mainly poses a danger when it is burning and particles escape into the air. When it’s damp it is safe,” Ms Maynard said.
Article source: http://www.portnews.com.au/news/local/news/general/asbestos-at-wauchope-fire-site/2412927.aspx