Following what lawyer and civil rights activist Ben Crump described as an avoidable outbreak that has already killed five people and sickened over 100 others, two construction workers in Harlem are suing after contracting Legionnaires’ disease while working.
Rising Sun building and Skanska USA Building, two businesses that reportedly oversaw building projects at and close to Harlem Hospital, are the targets of the two lawsuits that were filed on Wednesday.
In his lawsuit, Long Island resident Nuncio Quinto, a union electrician for a Skanska subcontractor, claimed that the business knew there was a risk of an epidemic near their workplaces. In particular, attorney Jared Scotto pointed to a message sent to the construction contractors on July 1st by NYC Health and Hospitals as evidence that they were informed.
Quinto claimed that before his family sent him to the hospital, he thought he had food sickness. He was found to have Legionnaires disease, a form of pneumonia brought on by breathing in tainted water vapor. Although fever, chills, muscle pains, and cough are classic flu-like symptoms, the illness can also cause headaches, exhaustion, loss of appetite, disorientation, or diarrhea.
Quinto added that he had breathing problems and rashes.
At a press conference on Wednesday, he told reporters, “I couldn’t even talk.”
After saying a few words, I would have to take a deep breath. Internal hemorrhage occurred in me. I was simply sluggish. I was unable to connect the dots. “I basically sat there for two weeks,” he added. I’m feeling better, walking around, and getting up a bit now. It’s a procedure.
Quinto further claimed that after he recovered, Skanska advised him not to talk about his illness with his colleagues.
Similar allegations were made by the second plaintiff, Duane Headley, in his lawsuit against Rising Sun Construction. He claimed that his own recovery from the illness is still ongoing.
On July 25, the New York City Department of Health reported a total of 22 cases, marking the first detection of the Legionnaires outbreak.Since then, 108 cases and five fatalities have been reported in five Upper Manhattan ZIP codes: 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039. According to officials, a follow-up investigation connected the expanding cluster to 12 cooling towers atop ten buildings, all of which tested positive for the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, Legionella pneumophila.
These structures include the CUNY City College Marshak Science Building, the Harlem Hospital, the Central Harlem Sexual Health Clinic, and the NYC Economic Development Corporation.
We’re going to close the facility until we can determine that these cooling towers are safe and free of legionella germs, so please wear your mask. No one warned them that we had identified anything. Crump stated that it is preventable. You have a responsibility to take action once you know.
Days after officials verified that all 12 cooling towers in Central Harlem that tested positive for live Legionella bacteria had been completely drained and disinfected, the two lawsuits were filed.
We would like to know if the residents of Harlem are at ease with the idea that they can be careless there and not elsewhere. At the press conference on Wednesday, Rev. Al Sharpton made a statement. And other locations ought to come up if they have been careless.
Crump and Scotto have requested that anyone who has contracted Legionnaires’ disease this year and resides or works in New York City call them at 888-790-3136.
