Asbestos found in debris after factory fire
BBCAsbestos was found in debris that showered homes following a factory fire in Bracknell, residents have been told.
Chrysotile, a commonly used type of asbestos, is thought to have come from Daler-Rowney's site after a fire on 25 May, Bracknell Forest Council said.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the risk to public health was low and the council said any "single, short-term exposure should not significantly affect health".
Contaminated water was found nearby after the blaze but its volume is decreasing, the council added.
"Asbestos is present in small quantities in both urban and rural air in the UK and so we are all breathing in small amounts of asbestos fibres over our lifetimes," it added in its letter.
"The amount you may have breathed in from this one fire is likely to be insignificant in comparison with our overall background exposure during our lives."
The council has been asked how many residents have received the letter.
Though all forms of asbestos are hazardous because they can induce cancer, other forms are more dangerous to health than chrysotile, according to UKHSA advice.
Last week residents said authorities' communications in the fire's aftermath were "horrendous", while Maidenhead MP Joshua Reynolds said their response was "disjointed".
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, which led the initial emergency response, said it was undertaking a "structured review" into its own handling of the incident, "as well as how we worked together with partners".
A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said it helped with "evacuations, road closures and maintaining public safety" but "recognises the inconvenience this incident caused to those affected".
Andrew Hunter, executive director of place at the council, said it was looking at setting up a "central hub for information" for similar incidents following residents' feedback.
