Six Deaths Confirmed Legionnaires Harlem Outbreak Lawsuits Planned

A Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Central Harlem has resulted in six deaths and over 111 confirmed cases, traced to 12 contaminated cooling towers at 10 buildings, including Harlem Hospital. Despite a 30% funding increase, New York City's health department lost over a third of its cooling tower inspectors in recent years, leading to fewer inspections, which critics argue contributed to the outbreak. Two construction workers have filed lawsuits against their employers, Rising Sun Construction and Skanska USA Building, alleging failure to maintain safe conditions at construction sites near Harlem Hospital, with civil rights attorney Ben Crump calling the outbreak "completely preventable." Additional lawsuits targeting New York City are anticipated, as notices of claim have been filed, accusing the city of neglecting to properly manage city-owned cooling towers where the bacteria thrived. City officials maintain that the outbreak could not have been prevented solely by increased inspections, citing rapid bacterial growth during warm weather, while community leaders and plaintiffs emphasize the preventable nature of the tragedy. The City Council plans an oversight hearing to investigate the handling of the outbreak further.