Loved Ones And Lawyers Join Forces To Launch Appeal For Information

The son of a former electrical engineer from London who died from an asbestos-related disease at the start of last year has joined with specialist lawyers to appeal for information regarding how his father came to develop the condition.

Gordon Burrows, from West Harrow, died aged 81 in January 2016, around two years after he was first diagnosed with mesothelioma – a cancer of the lining of the lung which develops decades after exposure to asbestos dust.

Following his death, Gordon’s son Ken instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his father’s case and search for the source of his asbestos exposure.

Irwin Mitchell are now calling for anyone who worked with Gordon at Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) in Manchester in the 1950s and 1960s, or while he was employed by General Electric Company (GEC) and Marconi in Stanmore in the 1960s and 1970s to come forward with information regarding the working conditions he may have faced.

Expert Opinion

“This case is like a huge number we see every year, with workers developing serious and ultimately fatal asbestos-related illnesses many years after their initial exposure.

“To help with our investigations, we would be very keen to hear from anyone who worked with him during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

“Any information that they could provide may well be vital in ensuring that his loved ones get the answers they deserve regarding Gordon’s death and whether more could have been done to protect him from harm.” Ian Bailey - Partner

Gordon lived in Flixton in Greater Manchester when he undertook his apprenticeship at AEI’s Trafford Park factory between 1953 to 1957. It is thought he may have been exposed to asbestos during his time in the company’s foundry, where he could have worn asbestos gloves while pouring metal into moulds. Gordon’s friends and family also believe that asbestos sheeting may have been used in the production of insulation which was made at the same site.

AEI were then acquired by GEC and Gordon went on to work for Marconi, which was the defence arm of GEC. Although he did not talk about his work, it is believed he could have been exposed to asbestos while working on ships containing asbestos-lagged pipework, on the Nimrod spy plane where it was used as insulation, or in a hangar with a roof made of corrugated asbestos sheeting.

Gordon’s son Ken said: “Dad was engaged on Government contracts and didn’t talk much about his work and it is because of this that we have found it so difficult to get any answers regarding how he developed his illness.

“It was truly awful to see how mesothelioma affected him in the final years of his life and we just want to know whether more should have been done to protect him. Any details about his working conditions could be key to helping us understand how this came to happen.”

Anyone with information should contact Ian Bailey at Irwin Mitchell on 0207 421 4754 or email Ian.Bailey@IrwinMitchell.com

Read more about the work of Irwin Mitchell's Asbestos-Related Disease Team here.