How does the smoke and dust produced by fire affect health? Is the health of those involved in the cleaning of burnt structures at risk?
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During the recent demonstrations, government and private structures were set on fire. Hundreds of private and government vehicles were burnt and destroyed. Footages of many people narrowly escaping from the smoke are still circulating on social media.
Even now, even when passing by the burnt structure, there is a loud noise. What are the health effects of smoke and dust from fires? And the health of those involved in the cleaning of burnt structures is at risk ? These and similar questions we Dr. Veer Hospital senior chest specialist. We asked Prajwal Shrestha.
Dr. Shrestha told about the fire that happened after the air attack on the Twin Towers in New York, which was destroyed in 2000. "During the cleaning of burnt structures, small dust particles that cannot be seen by the eye are mixed in the atmosphere." It travels to the chest through the respiratory tract and stains the lung tissue," he said. "It causes stiffness in the lungs, which can make it difficult to breathe. which is called silicosis disease.'
He said that those who were working to remove the burnt debris and cleaning did not even take normal precautions and said that the particles of burnt dust and smoke are very small and it directly affects the chest. He said that the chronically ill, patients with chest diseases, the elderly and children should not be involved in the cleaning of the burned debris, adding that even healthy people should take special precautions in cleaning.
He said that those who clean burnt goods may be at risk like those who work in chemical factories and brick kilns. "During cleaning, you should wear safety gloves, boots, special glasses, and clothes," he said. He said that regular work in silica dust increases the risk of lung infections such as lung cancer, kidney disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, tuberculosis and pneumonia. That's why he asked the cleaners to avoid cement and sand particles along with burnt smoke.
He said that on the second day of the demonstration i.e. Tuesday, Kathmandu ranked second in the world in terms of air pollution and even now the air pollution in Kathmandu has not decreased significantly. He said that after the last demonstration, the number of asthma patients who were protesting at Veer Hospital with cough and breathing problems has increased.
Veer Hospital's senior plastic surgeon doctor Piyush Dahal said that when plastic, rubber, tires, clothes etc. burn, it not only emits hot fire but also produces various harmful chemical gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, syenite, nitroxide and such small particles melt and mix in the air. He said, 'Which goes to the lungs through respiration . And it can affect not only the lungs but the whole system of the body.'
He said that how much these particles harm the body depends on how long the person came in contact with those objects and how many harmful substances entered the body. He said, 'If contaminated chemicals enter the body, genetic changes may also occur. Can affect the structure of the body . It may also cause problems for the future generation.'
