The intervention of firefighters on the fire in a sunflower dryer in Villedômer (Indre-et-Loire), on October 22, 2024, could not be without consequences for their health. Firefighters were exposed to asbestos fibers, present in the roof of the agricultural building which was destroyed in the blaze.
A specialist company quickly confirmed the dispersion of asbestos fibers. “The values transmitted inside buildings are higher than normal without being excessive,” indicated the management of the Departmental Intervention and Rescue Service (Sdis) of Touraine to the superiors of the hierarchy, in an email dated October 30, brought to the attention of The New Republic. On the other hand, the laboratory confirms “the absence of fibers outside the silos or dryer”.
The intervention in Villedômer mobilized large numbers of Sdis troops for 43 hours. At least 87 firefighters may have been exposed to asbestos. “Perhaps more because the vehicles were used on other interventions subsequently, without having been decontaminated first”notes a firefighter on condition of anonymity.
Contamination still to be confirmed
The identified agents were instructed to place their fabric equipment – gloves, hoods, jackets and overtrousers – in a “double-packed water-soluble bag” so that a specialized company can take a sample and determine whether or not asbestos fibers are present. “Outfits will be cleaned internally if the result is negative”specifies the email from the Sdis management.
We know that we have been exposed to asbestos, but we still do not know, at this time, whether we have been contaminated.
A firefighter from Indre-et-Loire, under condition of anonymity
What if the result is positive? “I imagine they will be destroyed,” supposes another firefighter. An anecdotal concern given the real concerns of firefighters: “We know that we were exposed to asbestos, but we still do not know, at this time, whether we were contaminated. » Blood tests would not yet be on the agenda.
The “precautionary principle” neglected in Villedômer?
If the firefighters are aware that this incident is one of the “job risks”voices are raised to denounce a “dysfunction” during operations carried out on the fire on the Villedômer farm.
The operator came forward on the morning of October 23 to warn of the presence of asbestos in the roof. An alert relayed by the chemical risks technician to the chain of command. “But it was not taken into account, over a firefighter. No decontamination airlock has been set up. The precautionary principle was not applied. The situation was downplayed. » Management says it was informed a week later, on October 29.
“Even if I welcome management's approach to taking this asbestos risk into account, I regret that it was so late, reacts Anthony Chauveau, president of the SpaSdis-CFTC 37 union. It is deplorable that this is not fully accepted: what is the intention behind this change in temporality? »
Requested by The New RepublicWednesday November 6, 2024, the management of Sdis 37 had still not followed up, at the time of publishing these lines.
