By Black Radio Network Staff
NEW YORK – Harlem residents whose families were victims of last year’s Legionnaires disease outbreak in the neighborhood are suing New York City charging neglect and failure to follow its own regulations which led to dozens being sickened by this bacteria and several deaths.
The lawsuit was filed by attorney Ben Crump who represented five of seven Harlem residents who died during the outbreak as well as 41 individuals and families who claim it harmed them.
In announcing the lawsuits at a press conference today, Rev, Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network, said they were not going to permit those harmed being forgotten. Crump said that the historically Black neighborhood of Harlem was neglected during the outbreak compared with other parts of New York City.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs were exposed to Legionella bacteria while in the area of cooling towers that tested positive for the bacteria at two Harlem locations, Harlem Hospital and the local NYC Public Health lab.
08/06/2026