A pair of construction companies overlooked safety concerns, causing a “completely preventable” outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in New York City that's killed at least five people and sickened dozens more, according to lawsuits filed Wednesday.
The Harlem outbreak has been traced back to July 26 with clusters in upper Manhattan ZIP codes 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037 and 10039, officials said.
"This medical tragedy that led to the deaths of five citizens from Harlem, that we know about, was a completely preventable outbreak," the plaintiffs' attorney, Ben Crump, told reporters.
"It was completely preventable. And so when corporations cut corners, tragedies like this happen, preventable tragedies, unnecessary tragedies, people being hospitalized for days and weeks, having issues that cause them permanent damage."
Construction worker Duane Headley filed a complaint against Rising Sun Construction, claiming he was sickened while working at a construction site at 506 Lenox Ave., near Harlem Hospital.
Rising Sun allegedly "created and permitted a defective, dangerous and/or hazardous condition" where Headley was working, the lawsuit said.
Headley survived but remains hospitalized, lawyers said.
Nunzio Quinto claims he was exposed to the Legionella bacteria while working at the New York City Public Health Laboratory Building, near Harlem Hospital, at 40 W. 137th St.
Quinto, who is suing Skanska USA Building, said the defendant "breached its duty" to "timely remediate the Legionella colonization of the water distribution and/or cooling systems," according to his lawsuit.
"I had no energy and unable to do anything," Quinto told reporters. "I'm finally starting to get up and walk around a little bit now and can do basic things."
While the plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation for their medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, Quinto said he hopes these civil actions unearth reasons behind the outbreak.
"But my thing is, I want answers to what's going on," said Quinto, alongside civil rights activists Crump and the Rev. Al Sharpton. "I can't have a safe place to work? This is New York City."
“While we can’t comment on pending litigation, Skanska has fully cooperated with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to facilitate the inspection and disinfection of the cooling tower at the building currently under construction at 40 West 137th Street — which will be the future home of the Public Health Lab," the defendant, Skanska, said in a statement.
"We will continue to implement all necessary mitigation and communication procedures to ensure the safety of our workers and the surrounding public.”
