International. A new study has found elevated levels of chemicals known to be carcinogenic and cause other health problems near the site of the Grenfell Tower fire in London.
The researchers are urging to take the necessary steps to conduct a deeper assessment of the risk posed by the presence of these chemicals to the health of people living in the area, and for those who responded to the fire and performed the subsequent cleanup.
Researchers at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) conducted the study, published by the journal Chemosphere in March.
"There is no doubt that there is evidence of contamination in the area surrounding the tower, highlighting the need for further and independent thorough analysis to quantify any risk to residents," Anna Stec, lead author of the study and a professor in fire chemistry and toxicity at UCLan, said in a statement released by Anna Stec University. "It is now crucial to conduct an assessment of the long-term health effect and to assess any adverse effects on local residents, first responders and cleaners as a result of the fire. This will also provide a future predisposition to deal with any disaster like this."
Just a month after the massive fire – which broke out in the 24-storey apartment building known as Grenfell Tower in June 2017, killing 72 people in what became the deadliest fire in modern British history – UCLan researchers found that samples of carbonaceous waste on balconies in buildings located approximately 160 to 330 feet from Grenfell Tower were contaminated. with carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This led to further research that analyzed soil samples up to three-quarters of a mile away from Grenfell. The results of that research appeared in the new study, and demonstrate the presence of carcinogenic chemicals in the soil near the fire site at levels as high as 160 times higher than normal.
"Samples collected within 140 m [460 ft] of the tower showed, among other poisonous agents, concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins 60 times higher than UK reference urban land levels; benzene levels 40 times higher; levels of [six] key polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) approximately 160 times higher," the study reads. "Contamination of particulate and pyrogenic material in the immediate vicinity is clearly evident, and could have arisen from the remains of the fire, carbonaceous residues, and dust. Further analysis of the area around the Tower is needed to understand the potential health risk."
The study continues to draw parallels between the Grenfell Tower fire and the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, from which first responders and cleaners, among others, continue to die from chemical-related cancer in Ground Zero waste. During the two years following the Grenfell Tower fire, those living in the area have reported symptoms such as vomiting, coughing up blood, skin abnormalities, and shortness of breath, according to BBC News. The government maintains that the health risk from the chemicals is "usually very low," the BBC reported.
The size and speed of the fire that destroyed Grenfell were attributed to flammable plastics present in the exterior wall components that were added to the tower as part of a remodeling project in 2016. An article in the NFPA Journal Latinoamericano published after the fire found that similar conditions may exist in many buildings around the world. In response to the fire, NFPA released a series of resources to help stop the global problem of fires with combustible exterior wall components.
Source: NFPA.
