Eastbourne man dies from exposure to asbestos

Brian Jennings died at his flat in Admiralty Court on November 25 2020.

An inquest at Eastbourne Town Hall on Thursday (February 4), heard that Mr Jennings, a retired petrochemical engineer, spent many years working in power stations and marine engine rooms.

His daughter, Lorraine Jennings, said her father worked in a number of places since the 1950s where he would have been exposed to asbestos.

The inquest heard these years of work resulted in Mr Jennings being diagnosed with mesothelioma in May 2020, a malignant tumour that is caused by inhaled asbestos fibres and forms in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart.

The life expectancy for most people suffering from mesothelioma is around 12 months after diagnosis.

East Sussex coroner Alan Craze said, “We know that engine rooms in ships and power stations are common sources of mesothelioma infections.”

Mr Craze ruled that Mr Jennings’ death was from an industrial disease.