The chemical production plant in Preston, Canada, produced lethal substances for years, sparking a wave of legal claims from workers who say they were exposed to carcinogenic fumes
Images show a cancer-causing factory left to rot after a century of producing toxic chemicals – allegedly shortening the life of hundreds of its workers.
Constructed in the early 1900s, the chemical production plant was one of three major employers in Preston, Canada, producing the same substance for years but under several different names to avoid legal claims. Workers allege it provided an extremely toxic workplace, with employees suffering constant exposure to carcinogens in the form of dust, fumes and solvents during the manufacturing process.
It sparked a wave of deaths, leaving widowed women and families without fathers, leading to the foreclosure of local houses. Hundreds of former employees claim that the factory caused a cancer diagnosis. Now a YouTube explorer has gone inside the factory, which was closed in 2006, causing the loss of over 1,000 jobs. Operations by another similar organisation have since resumed with updated safety standards and protocols, however the stigma still remains.
Over 400 Workplace Safety and Insurance Board claims were filed between 2002 and 2017 by former employees, however, only 15 per cent were ever accepted. Claims are still being made against the company to this day. The North American conglomerate that owned the company refused to comment on whether they have improved workplace exposure.
These photos were captured by urban exploration photographer and filmmaker Dave of Freaktography.com in Preston, Ontario, in Canada.
“I was out exploring with friends and we had run out of our planned locations, when my friend mentioned that he had something in the area for us to check out,” he said. “This location was new to us, and we had no idea what the story might be, it was set down a bit of an embankment on a large piece of rural property with beautiful sweeping views of the peninsula and rolling hills and its own very large pond.
“We entered into the basement to be greeted by colourful ’60s and 70’s wallpaper and a unique Mid-Century Modern staircase. A large hole in the roof provided a steady stream of water directly onto the staircase and given the temperatures that day, all of that water had frozen making for a very slippery walk upstairs.
“It was getting late in the day and the sun was setting soon, giving us a fantastic light show of golden hues through the tattered curtains. We took turns shooting the various rooms, taking in the advanced decay and looking for items of interest, such as a record player that was frozen to the floor, a stone MCM fireplace and the unique exterior with a number of newly added rooms and a missing roof.
“Surviving family members say that they can draw a straight line from their husband’s deaths to their current financial troubles, they blame the plant for many of their problems.” For more abandoned sites visit Dave’s website www.freaktography.com or to see the full video visit his YouTube channel.
