The former Turner Brothers Asbestos factory in Rochdale. (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
A UK town is home to a “dangerous” former factory compared to Chernobyl, and the owners have urged people to stay away from it. The Turner Brothers factory in the Spotland area of Rochdale previously manufactured asbestos products, when they were still widely used for insulation in homes.
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring, fibrous minerals formerly used in a variety of products due to them being resistant to heat, fire, and chemicals. However, the substance is now known to be a carcinogen, and being exposed to its fibres can lead to life-threatening health problems, like lung cancer and mesothelioma. Asbestos production ended at the site in the 1990s as its use was phased out, and by 2008 the site had been abandoned.
Unauthorised entrance to the site is strictly forbidden. (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
The site owners warned of various hazards, including the risk of buildings collapsing. (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
The site had been abandoned by 2008. (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
The factory’s current derelict, overgrown state has seen it dubbed Rochdale’s Chernobyl, in reference to the Ukrainian city which became the site of one of the worst nuclear disasters in history back in 1986, and became a ghost-town for decades.
Though nothing of the sort occurred at The Turner Brothers factory, its eerie, post-apocalyptic appearance is what has invited the comparisons.
Since the Spod Road site was left to be reclaimed by nature, the site is reported to have become a hotspot for urban explorers.
The owners Spodden Park Ltd anticipated that these unauthorised visits would see an uptick during the summer months, and have urged people to stay away due to various hazards, Manchester Evening News reports.
The team said: “Now that we are in the school summer holidays, we anticipate there may be an increase in trespassing activity during this period. The site is dangerous, and breaking and entering is a crime.
“We encourage those who have or work with children and teenagers, to remind them of the significant dangers of the site, asbestos and fires, and the consequences of being caught committing a crime.”
It also stressed that no fires are permitted on the site, and with “the prolonged dry forecast, if you see smoke or fire on site, please call the fire brigade immediately”.
The owners are assessing the potential of the site. (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
“We have been working with the security team and can confirm the perimeter security fence has been repaired,” it added. “We will continue to take measures to keep the site safe and secure. If you do see anyone breaking and entering the site, please report it to the police.”
A similar warning was issued ahead of the Easter school holidays, with parents urged to educate their children on the risks they are taking when enter the forbidden area, the outlet reports.
Spodden Park Ltd even put together a factsheet describing how breathing in asbestos fibres can mean they stay in there permanently, potentially leading to asbestosis, a chronic lung disease.
Asbestos fibres can also be carried on clothes and pose a risk to family members who may unknowingly inhale them later on.
The team also explained that there is a risk of collapse both outside and inside the derelict buildings, and if any injury did occur it would be difficult for emergency services to get to someone inside the fencing.
However, it’s hoped that the site will be given a new lease of life, with the potential for the site under consideration by Spodden Park Ltd.
The company says it will continue to provide updates on its website while it carries out “the technical work needed to better understand the site and its potential”.