Oberon High School

Asbestos Removal Due to Fire Damage

The North wing of Oberon Highschool was unfortunately gutted by a fire in 2021. To make matters worse, the fire damaged area also contained asbestos.

Due to the extent of the damage, we needed to work closely with Bayside Demolition to remove 14,000 m2 of fire damaged property, whilst also managing Class A asbestos removal in the fire damaged area and Class B asbestos removal in the remaining wings.

December 2021

Bayside, Victoria

Oberon High School

$200k

The Challenges

Fire damage can make identifying asbestos containing materials much more challenging. It’s also likely that a lot of the rubble will have been contaminated as the asbestos containing materials were disbursed within the blaze.

Given the amount of asbestos contaminated waste, the location and other parties involved, ensuring a safe outcome was our number one priority. Luckily the school was closed for the holidays, so it meant we were able to clear the site prior to the students and teachers returning to school.

Oberon High School Fire (1)

What should you do if your home or business is damaged by fire and may contain asbestos?

Evacuate the premises: Even once the fire is contained, if you feel the affected area may have contained asbestos, you should avoid returning until the site has been tested and cleared.

Do not sort through the rubble: Despite being known for its non-flammable and non-combustible properties, any asbestos containing material that has fallen, broken or cracked due to the fire will have likely dispersed fibres within the rubble. This means even personal belongings might be contaminated.

Isolate the area: Ensure employee’s or family members remain a safe distance from the site of the fire. Once the area dries, it will become much more dangerous as wind will more easily pick up the asbestos fibres.

Flag it with your neighbours: Depending on the size of the fire and proximity to other buildings, if airborne fibres were disbursed, they may have been carried to nearby properties. It’s worth flagging this to ensure their safety until the site has been tested.

Contact GMA: We will arrange an independent site test and fully manage the clean up and safe disposal of asbestos contaminated waste. We will have the site cleared by an independent hygienist prior to handing the site back, guaranteeing its safety.

Unfortunately a fire can be a devastating thing for your home or business. Although asbestos might be the last thing you want to think about, it’s worth getting a site test for the safety of you and everyone else involved.

Oberon High School Fire (2)

Contact

GMA Asbestos

If you have a project in mind or just want to ask a question – get in touch!

(03) 5367 0000

info@gmaust.com.au