Ex-Harrods fire officer sues over ‘asbestos cancer’

Terence Ward, 74, says he had no choice but to breathe in the toxic dust as he oversaw a revamp of the Knightsbridge store in the mid-Eighties
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A former fire officer at Harrods who claims he was exposed to asbestos there is suing for up to £150,000.

Terence Ward, 74, says he had no choice but to breathe in the toxic dust as he oversaw a revamp of the Knightsbridge store in the mid-Eighties.

He claims he was also exposed to asbestos in a previous job at a chemical plant in Dartford.

Mr Ward, who has lung cancer, is suing Harrods and the Wellcome Foundation, later taken over by Glaxo SmithKline, which ran the plant, for up to £150,000 in damages, according to papers lodged at the High Court.

Barrister Rachit Buch said Mr Ward breathed in “large quantities” of asbestos when workers removed lagging at Harrods but was not warned and there was no extraction system.

Mr Ward claims both companies are responsible for his diagnosis. Harrods declined to comment. GlaxoSmithKline was approached for comment. The action is not related to the Wellcome Trust.

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