Premier Daniel Andrews has announced an inquiry into the Fiskville training facility. Photo: Jason South
Exposure to chemicals and contaminated water at the firefighting training centre in Fiskville caused high rates of cancer and 16 deaths, a study has confirmed.
The Monash University study examined cancer and death rates among more than 600 people who worked at the site between 1971 and 1999.
In the group of 606 people there were 69 cancer cases that resulted in 16 deaths.
Staff who worked full time at the site, near Ballan, who were exposed to flammable chemicals, foams and recycled firewater had high rates of melanoma and testicular cancer.
Premier Daniel Andrews is setting up a parliamentary inquiry to investigate how the high rates occurred, how widespread it is and who should be held responsible.
He called the centre, which is now safe, a “cancer cluster”.
Mr Andrews said his government was working towards a full compensation scheme for all Victorian firefighters that develop specific cancers, but could not give a timeline on when the scheme would be up and running.