Expert Lawyers Investigating Hamsterley Colliery Man’s Asbestos Exposure

The devastated widow of a former labourer who worked on the construction of Cruddas Park Shopping Centre is appealing to his former colleagues for help after he died from mesothelioma, a terminal cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.

John Burke, from Hamsterley Colliery, was diagnosed with the disease in September 2015 after suffering with pain in his chest and breathlessness. He tragically passed away just three month later in December 2015 aged 69.

Before his death, he instructed expert asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate  how and where he was exposed to the deadly asbestos dust and if more could, and should, have been done to protect him from the health risk associated with the substance.

Now his widow Liz, who was married to John from 40 years, is continuing to fight for justice in his name.

She believes he may have been exposed to asbestos while working for construction firm Gilbert & Ash, where he worked as a labourer from 1966 until 1969. Liz said her late husband was involved in the construction of the Cruddas Park Shopping Centre.

Before his death, John told his legal team that he worked alongside a number of other tradesmen during the project and that they would often use asbestos substances. He explained that asbestos was commonly used to manufacture the shops and that asbestos dust and fibres would often be released into the working atmosphere.

From 1970 until 1983 John spent time working for Newcastle City Council at an abattoir on Whitehouse Road, Newcastle. He believes he may also have come into contact with asbestos during his time at the facility.

John told his legal team he would regularly visit the boiler house at the abattoir and that asbestos was used to lag the pipework. He recalled that the boiler house was extremely dusty and that the dust would be disturbed when people entered the boiler house.

Emma Crowther, an expert asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, who represents Liz, said:

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“The dangers of asbestos have been known by employers for a long period of time but sadly all too often we see individuals who were exposed to asbestos at their workplace and have gone on to develop a range of serious, and in some cases, fatal, respiratory conditions.

“We are now investigating how and where John came into contact with asbestos and would like to hear from his former colleagues at Gilbert & Ash or those who worked with him at the abattoir on Whitehouse Road in Newcastle.

“Any information on the presence of asbestos in the working atmosphere, the protective measures in place to protect workers or the warnings provided to staff on the dangers of asbestos may be crucial in helping provide Liz with the answers she needs about how John developed this terrible disease which tragically took his life.” Emma Crowther - Senior Associate Solicitor

Liz said: “We were all completely shocked when John was diagnosed with mesothelioma and it completely changed our lives. We had to give up some of our hobbies and it was devastating to see John’s health deteriorate so quickly after he was told about the disease.

“To find out the disease may have been caused by asbestos exposure at work made us both very angry, and I am determined to keep fighting on for justice in John’s name.

“Hopefully his former colleagues at Gilbert & Ash and the Newcastle City Council abattoir will come forward and provide Irwin Mitchell with the information they need to get the answers our family wants after ling John.”

Anyone with information on the working conditions at Gilbert & Ash and the abattoir in Newcastle should contact Emma Crowther at Irwin Mitchell on 0191 279 0094 or email Emma.Crowther@IrwinMitchell.com.