OTTAWA BOILER EXPLOSION
Boiler explosion in Ottawa, Canada, kills two workers and sends asbestos materials airborne through community

After deadly boiler explosion, Canadian residents take aggressive stance against country’s asbestos industry.

Residents of the U.S. and Canada may seek legal remedies with our firm for an asbestos-related cancer, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer. Get a free copy of our sourcebook, "Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Asbestos Litigation and Your Rights."

News Bulletin

November 4, 2009 - Two men died when an asbestos-covered boiler at a downtown Ottawa steam plant exploded last week, sending millions of microscopic asbestos fibers into the air. The pipes at the plant were insulated with asbestos, which is known to produce fatal diseases like mesothelioma when people inhale its toxic fibers.

When asbestos fibers are inhaled through the nose or mouth, they become trapped inside the lungs where they fester for years before tumors are developed.

Mesothelioma can lie dormant for decades. Once mesothelioma symptoms become recognizable, patients usually die within months of being diagnosed. Though mesothelioma therapy can help some patients, there is no known cure.

After the explosion in Ottawa, many Canadians are taking a more aggressive stance against the country’s asbestos industry, which employs a few hundred miners who are risking their health and the health of international consumers.

Canada is one of the world’s largest exporters of asbestos.

Most asbestos mined in Canada is exported to developing countries that have lax or no regulations governing its use.

Boiler explosion sparks Canadian politics

The Canadian asbestos industry is a political issue in the country.

In recent years the Canadian asbestos industry has drawn harsh criticism, as the health risks associated with the toxic mineral are becoming better known.

The last asbestos mine in operation in Canada is located in the province of Quebec. Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters last summer he will continue to support the mine in Quebec.

But the livelihood of a few hundred asbestos miners is nothing compared to the thousands of lives that could be cut short due to asbestos exposure, countered anti-asbestos lawmaker and Winnipeg MP Pat Martin.

Martin knows the risk of asbestos exposure from first-hand experience. His lungs were damaged while he was employed as a young man in an asbestos mine. He said claims that the “white” asbestos mined in Quebec is not a dangerous form of asbestos boggles his mind.

“That’s like saying land mines are safe as long as you don’t step on them,” said Martin.

Residents of Canada have a right to seek compensation

Many residents of Canada have come forward to say their work environment led to a diagnosis of mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer from asbestos products made in the U.S.

If this has been your experience, our asbestos lawyers may be able to help you receive compensation for your health problems.

If you would like a free consultation or more information about your legal options, please complete the form on this page, and a representative of our law firm will contact you as soon as possible.