As a firefighter, Thurston Darcy accepts a level of risk every day, but he never expected to be hospitalised for a week with viral meningitis.
The 30-year-old said he spent about 40 hours fighting a factory fire in West Footscray in August last year, which blanketed parts of Melbourne's west in smoke.
Firefighters later told the ABC they were shocked at how many 44-gallon drums and other containers were in the building, filled with chemicals.
While he was working, Mr Darcy developed mild symptoms — itchy, red eyes, a headache and nose bleeds.
But in December, his headaches got really bad and his wife called an ambulance.
"I knew something wasn't right because the pain wasn't going away," he said.
"I couldn't walk myself to the toilet to vomit."
Mr Darcy spent a week in quarantine in hospital and doctors told him he most likely had viral meningitis.
He had four weeks off work sick.
Mr Darcy is still waiting on final tests, but doctors have told him whatever made him sick was sinus-related.
"It's still unknown what caused it, or what cocktail of chemicals caused it," he said.
"A lot of people have had sinus issues, breathing issues, a lot of fatigue."
Mr Darcy is back at work now, but he is not the only one to suspect his health problems have been caused by the fire.
The United Firefighters Union said about 900 officers fought the blaze over several weeks and most of them have reported at least mild symptoms.
Residents who live near the fire have also reported respiratory illnesses.
The EPA and the coroner are investigating the blaze.
Toxic waste dumpers to face face jail
Rogue operators who illegally store or dump dangerous waste in Victoria could face up to 10 years in prison and hefty fines, under new laws proposed by the State Government.
A "reckless conduct" offence would see individuals hit with up to 10 years in jail, and companies given multimillion-dollar fines, if they are reckless in storing, selling, using, transporting or manufacturing dangerous goods.
It followed revelations that the Melbourne factory that exploded in a chemical inferno in April was linked to the West Footscray fire.
The April fire, in the northern suburb of Campbellfield, happened a month after the company's licence was suspended over more waste being stored than permitted and storage containers not labelled correctly.
An Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) investigation identified an "alleged criminal operation" involving more than a dozen Melbourne sites where hazardous chemicals were being stored, often without a licence.
Workplace Safety Minister Jill Hennessy said the Dangerous Goods Act was due for an update.
"Much of this conduct potentially endangers people's lives and that should be reflected in the penalties, in the same way it's reflected in the crimes for other crimes and occupational health and safety breaches," she said.
"So we're lifting the penalties to make sure we're putting in place a proper deterrent and enabling a better accountability of the people who are potentially endangering the lives of others."
The legislation is set to be introduced later this year.
Mr Darcy welcomed the proposed laws.
"My story has already happened, I can't change that," he said.
"We accept the risk with this job, we're happy to be the barrier of harm to protect the community, that's us, it's what we do. But when it shouldn't be there, it's inexcusable."
