Lawsuits accuse construction companies in NYC in deadly Legionnaires outbreak

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

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.