Framingham firefighter lost to mesothelioma cancer

Early this month, Framingham, Massachusetts firefighter Mike Urban, 57, lost his battle with mesothelioma cancer. This aggressive disease that affects the protective lining of the body’s major cavities and organs is rare and caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos.

Urban’s passing comes on the heels of the loss of 58-year-old retired firefighter Michael Marshall to lung cancer last month. Lung cancer is yet another disease commonly cause by asbestos exposure, along with asbestosis.

Urban’s family has been unable to conclusively pinpoint the cause of the mesothelioma. His wife speculated that exposure to asbestos could have taken place in his childhood home, at a fire station, while firefighting or from using carpentry materials, as Urban was a self-employed carpenter before joining the Fire Department.

Asbestos is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulated mineral fiber has been commonly used in construction materials, as insulation and as a fire retardant. When asbestos is disturbed or burns, it realeases toxic fibers that become airborne and are easily inhaled. These fibers lodge in the lungs for decades causing damage. Urban had pleural mesothelioma, which specifically affects the lining of the lungs, leaving no doubt that he’d likely inhaled asbestos for a prolonged period of time.

The local Hollis Street and Saxonville fire stations both have had asbestos, and several years ago, an area in Station 2 was closed off and bolted before the contamination was cleaned up, making exposure at his station a real possibility.

“Mike was family, and we lost a member of our family, and we’ll deal with that the way any family does,” said Station 2 captain at the Saxonville firehouse Paul Barlow

Asbestos Disease

Did you know that Asbestos can actually be a source of disaster for our health?

Unsuspecting communities consider Asbestos is a miracle substance that is widely used on thousands of goods production. Asbestos hazards caused Although not directly visible, but the dangers of Asbestos can cause serious illness, debilitating and even fatal. Mesothelioma Asbestos Disease, among others, lung cancer and Asbestosis. Asbestosis initial symptoms will appear between 10 to 40 years later, even more. Almost no place is safe for Asbestos contamination level.

Asbestos contamination is very high which is found in many work environments including construction sites, shipyards, rail, car repair shop and mine. Potential Asbestos contamination can also occur in the school environment, households and public buildings if asbestos products is damaged.

You can do the best protection from these Asbestos disease is by knowing and learning more about this. We will help you by providing various information about this asbestos diseases.