Tweet Facebook Mail A mine fire that erupted 10 years ago in Gippsland could have left local residents with long-term lung damage, new research has shown. The Hazelwood coal mine fire broke out in 2014, blanketing the La Trobe Valley region in smoke for 45 days. In 2017-2018, researchers said in a study newly published in the journal Respirology , they collected data from about 500 people, either from the town of Morwell, which had been affected by the fire's smoke, or from the nearby town of Sale, which was unaffected.
READ MORE: Matthew Perry's bleak last words revealed The fire erupted at Hazelwood coal mine in 2014. (Jason South) Those exposed to particulate matter in the smoke (PM2.5) were found to have sustained damage to their lungs that was estimated to equal 4.
7 extra years of aging. "Findings reported so far included: asthmatics in Morwell had worse asthma control than those from Sale," the researchers said. "There was an association between PM2.
5 exposure and chest tightness and chronic cough particularly in smokers and spirometric features of COPD in non-smokers. READ MORE: 'Tech king' missing after luxury superyacht sinks in freak storm "There was also an association between PM2.5 exposure and worsening lung mechanics measured with oscillometry.
" COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that obstructs airflow from the lungs. The researchers said the results suggested exposure to the mine fire smoke "led to premature lung ageing". READ MORE: Blast of warm weather across Australia to farewell winter These are the most miserable countries in the world View Gallery They did acknowledge the study's limitations, including that no pre-fire lung data from the participants was available.
"More frequent similar events are expected as climate change accelerates," the researchers said. "Future town planning should account for the health risks associated with decommissioned coal mines nearby." FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, celebrity and sport via our WhatsApp channel.
No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details..
