Prefabricated home may have caused dad's death
A 91-YEAR-OLD man died from a combination of ung and heart disease after living for years in a prefabricated house made from deadly asbestos an, inquest has heard.
Arthur Brown lived with his son, Frank, at the Cross Keys pub, in Burton Street, Tutbury.
Mr Brown was taken to Burton’s Queen’s Hospital after passing out at home, where he passed away on June 6.
In his career, Mr Brown had started out as an office worker and later became a sales manager.
During later life, fluid was found on Mr Brown’ lungs and he was subsequenty diagnosed with mesothelioma, cancer which starts in the lining of the lungs.
Pathologist Joseph Newman, who carried out a post-mortem examination on Mr Brown’s body, said: “The vast majority of mesothelioma cases result from exposure to asbestos and this exposure can happen decades before.”
Speaking about his father, Frank Brown said: “Although he never worked in the asbestos industry, my first recollection of the home I was living in was just after the war, when we were living in prefabs, which were made of asbestos.
“My mother also died of an asbestosrelated disease.” He went on to say that his father may also have been exposed to the substance by walking through shop floors.
South Staffordshire Coroner Andrew Haigh said: “There were two main factors in Mr Brown’s death — heart disease and lung disease. Having said that, however, the lung disease is the significant contributory factor.”
He said Mr Brown could have been exposed to asbestos — either at home or at work.
“Very sadly, your mother died of mesothelioma as well and that indicates to me that the exposure is likely to have been at home,” Mr Haigh said.
He recorded a verdict of accidental death due to pulmonary congestion and oedema — fluid on the lungs, ischemic heart disease — reduced blood supply to the heart and coronary artery atherosclerosis — build up and thickening of the blood vessel.
Malignant mesothelioma of the right pleural cavity was recorded as another contributing factor.
