Cancer cluster at a fire station in Queensland leads to statewide investigation

Apr 14 2008

The investigation into a suspected cancer cluster at a fire station in north Queensland has failed to establish a link between the building and an increased rate of cancer.

The Queensland Health investigation was initiated last December following as many as six cases of various forms of cancer among current and former staff at a fire station in Atherton on the tablelands.

The investigation examined hazards the firefighters may have been exposed to in their work.

The investigation revealed that the incidence of brain cancer at the fire station is 21 to 62 times higher than the rate for the rest of Queensland; five firefighters at the Atherton station have been diagnosed with cancer, three of them with brain tumours.

Queensland Health says it appears the building itself is not to blame and the station will not be closed down.

Brad McCulloch from Queensland Health says there are two known risk factors for brain cancer, family history and exposure to ionising radiation and to date no sources of ionising radiation have been found at the station.

Deputy Fire Commissioner Iain MacKenzie says nothing at the station building has been identified as a direct link to the brain cancer but more testing will be carried out.

Commissioner MacKenzie says staff have accepted the findings of the investigation and are in favour of further testing.

The report has also recommended further investigation into the incidence of cancer among Queensland firefighters and State Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts says there will be an additional environmental report.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says a statewide investigation will begin into the incidence of brain cancer among Queensland firefighters and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service is also reportedly eager to engage in a national investigation by Monash University into the incidence of cancer among firefighters.

According to the United Firefighters Union other research has found the rate of testicular cancer was three times higher in firefighters than in the general population.

The ABC abandoned its offices at Toowong in Brisbane in 2006 after a cancer cluster was identified there.