Fire Created Toxic Fumes In County Down -- MesoLink.org -- 11-23-04

More than one hundred children, along with a church group and a group of hockey players, were moved to safety in County Down, Ireland, following the breakout of a fire at a former car repair shop.

Major concerns were raised due to the amount of smoke, but also because the building was thought to have an asbestos roof, increasing the danger to people in the vicinity due to the possibility of contamination as well as smoke ingestion. As the fire crews battled to bring the fire under control, surrounding roads also had to be closed off.

Local police had to be called in to help control the situation by closing off the roads, co-ordinating the relocation of people in the area, and ensuring that no further traffic or people entered the closed off areas. It was not revealed at this time how the fire had started.

The combination of smoke and possible asbestos contamination caused a potentially lethal mixture, and it was imperative for fire crews and police to work as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to get all those that were in the affected areas to safety in the shortest possible time.