Overview

• Two hospitalized construction workers filed separate Aug. 20 lawsuits against Skanska USA Building and Rising Sun Construction, and their lawyers filed notices to sue New York City.
• The complaints allege cooling towers tied to Harlem Hospital were left with untreated stormwater after July storms and that workers were not warned or protected, claims the defendants have not addressed publicly in detail.
• City health officials say live Legionella was found in 12 cooling towers serving 10 buildings in Central Harlem, all of which have been drained and disinfected, with more than 100 people sickened and five deaths confirmed.
• The NYC Public Health Laboratory is conducting culture and DNA sequencing to determine which tower or towers match patient samples, with officials expecting results soon.
• Calls for accountability and reform are mounting, with proposals for stricter testing, reporting and penalties for tower maintenance and public figures urging independent review of the city’s response.