Stanley man's death likely caused by asbestos at work

John Gill, who died from epithelioid mesothelioma in 2022 at the age of 74, was likely to have been exposed to asbestos when he worked at the Ransom, Hoffman & Pollard Plant in Greencroft an inquest heard.

Mr Gill worked for Alkar Limited/Montan Group at the plant between 1986 and 1995

His family are now appealing for more information regarding the asbestos exposure from his former colleagues at Alkar Limited/Montan Group.

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Steve Dickens, partner in the Leigh Day asbestos claims team, said: “Epithelioid mesothelioma is a devastating disease, one which made John’s health decline rapidly.

"John’s family are looking for answers following the coroner’s findings that John’s asbestos exposure most likely occurred at the Ransom, Hoffman, & Pollard Plant.

"We would be grateful if any of John’s former colleagues could come forward with relevant information to help the family’s legal claim.”

They believe he was likely exposed to asbestos during this time due to a letter found among his personal possessions from Montan Group dated August 9 1990.

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The letter described exposure to asbestos at the Ransom, Hoffman & Pollard plant in Greencroft that reportedly took place in 1989.

His family also found a clipping from a newspaper that described how asbestos had been found at the site where John worked.

They also believe extensive pipework within the factory to have been lagged with asbestos, and that Mr Gill may have been exposed to asbestos when the overhead pipe lagging was damaged by the moving forklift truck.

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They said Mr Gill had been in good health prior to March 2022 when he took ill and was later diagnosed with epithelioid mesothelioma before he died at the University Hospital of North Durham in June that year.

The coroner, on the basis of the contemporary evidence found in John’s possession, concluded that the exposure at the Ransom, Hoffman, & Pollard Plant was most likely the cause of his mesothelioma.

After the inquest, John’s family approached the asbestos claims team at law firm Leigh Day to investigate the use of asbestos at the Ransom, Hoffman, & Pollard Plant.