'Dr. Fire' concerned about toxicity risks in Fort McMurray
As Fort McMurray residents wonder when they can return home and talks of rebuilding and cleanup begin, one fire safety researcher says there are "real concerns" about the charred city.
Vyto Babrauskas, a.k.a. Dr. Fire, says there's a real lack of research on long-term risks of exposure to fire and ash.
"The dangers might be that they're going to encounter dioxins…all sorts of exotic hydrocarbons and that these are chemicals which could lead to cancer," says Babrauskas, a fire science consultant and former fire safety researcher for the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S.
Not much is known about the effects of sustained exposure to ash and debris on frontline responders — but what is known is that the toxicity poses health risks.
"There are real concerns. The answers are nowhere near as satisfactory that we like," says Babrauskas.
This segment was produced by The Current's Marc Apollonio.