On the 19th Anniversary of 9/11, We Remember Those who Died from Exposure to Harmful Carcinogens
Today is the 19th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. The moment the planes hit the buildings, so many peoples’ lives were changed forever. From firefighters running into the towers to responders going through the rubble, people were exposed to many different carcinogens like benzene and asbestos. Once people were exposed to these harmful substances, all it took was time for the carcinogens to do their job and give people cancer. These people risked and endangered their lives to help, and they are being diagnosed with cancers like mesothelioma and acute myeloid leukemia as a result.
When workers sifted through the rubble, many did not have face masks on, leading to large amounts of toxic dust being inhaled over a long period of time. Only half of the workers had masks and others were supposed to be fitted with respirators, but the administrator of the EPA told people that the air was safe to breathe, which was completely wrong. This gave people a false sense of security and had people working without the proper protective equipment. Some people had so much dust covering them that they threw away their clothes instead of laundering them.
Imagine going into work and breathing in chemicals and substances like asbestos, cement, lead, glass fibers, and dioxins. These substances are clearly bad for human health, but people went in and helped anyway. These people thought they were going to die from complications of their exposure, and they did it anyway. For most people responding on 9/11, if they don’t have cancer, it is probably only a matter of time before they develop it.
Asbestos is a highly carcinogenic substance that has many uses. People exposed to microscopic asbestos fibers can be diagnosed with cancers including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and throat cancer. Other carcinogens like benzene can be found in jet fuel leading to blood cancers like acute myeloid leukemia and multiple myeloma. People that were exposed to these harmful carcinogens that end up developing cancer could be entitled to compensation. If you or a loved one was exposed to asbestos or benzene and now have cancer, contact us using our contact form or by calling 412-471-3980. One of our staff will get back to you and our attorneys will do everything they can to help.
