Legionnaires’ Disease Rates Rise from
Cooling Tower Contaminations

Outbreak Reports Continue

According to the CDC and in spite of years of research, the scientific community remains in the dark as to the cause (but not necessarily the source) of the rising rate of infections from the Legionella bacteria in the Unites States today. Between the years of 2000 and 2015 the estimated number of cases has increased almost 450% reaching the level of approximately 6,000 cases reported by 2015.

Lenox Hill, NY – In a two week period back in June, there were several cases of Legionnaire’s Disease in and around Manhattan NY’s Lenox Hill neighborhood. One elderly person with “significant underlying health conditions” died and 8 people were hospitalized temporarily.

With the usual suspect of a cooling tower, investigations soon identified 116 systems within half a kilometer and testing began.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene quickly found 42 had traces of Legionella DNA, 24 of which had quite low levels. Ongoing testing is being conducted to match the DNA with the individual infections to determine which of the identified cooling tower system or systems were responsible for the outbreak.

Memphis, TN – Elvis Presley’s Famous Graceland VACation destination was rocked with an outbreak of Legionnaire’s Disease the first week of July this year. By the end of the week 6 cases were confirmed. It has been estimated that those cases were initially contacted between May 15 and June 26. The Shelby County Health Department has recommended anyone with symptoms who visited the park during those dates should contact them immediately. The aquatic facilities at the hotel were closed for examination. So far, those who have been infected all stayed at the Guest House at Graceland between those dates.

W.Va. – Recently the Department of Health & Human Resources has reported an increase in the number of cases suspected of being Legionnaires’ Disease during the months of May and June this year.

Looking for Solutions

One major problem with Legionella is that it’s resistant to chlorine. Cleaning and maintaining a safe cooling tower is not as easy as it might seem. A DNA test to confirm the source takes time. One benefit there is that all cooling towers in a given area are investigated which frequently finds more contaminations than infections and helps reinforce the reality that there is more lurking there than we know. Diligence seems to be a major factor in limiting the outbreaks and local jurisdictions are starting to look into regular cooling tower inspections and mandated cleaning procedures as a layer of bureaucracy they feel is needed to help combat infections.

Lack Of Sprinkler System Increases Injury And Death

On Friday, July 14, 2017, a high-rise building fire in Honolulu, Hawaii, spread from one unit to additional units and threated engulfing the entire building after a fire broke out in one unit on the 26th floor of an apartment building. At least 3 casualties and over a dozen injuries have been reported so far. The expansion of the fire beyond the source was believed to have been the result of a building that was built in 1971, before sprinklers were required in such type of buildings, that has never been upgraded.

Many residents reported no warnings or alarms either and most said the smoke was what alerted them to the conflagration. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell stated “residents have to pay” if they want sprinkler safety protection, “It’s pretty expensive. But if it saves a life and it’s your life, it’s worth the cost.” Many local ‘rumblings’ indicated there are others that disagree and it seems possible the rules will soon be looked at to see if is possible to require such upgrades.

Most residents also indicated there were no fire safety meetings or drills they could remember…since a few after the last fire in 2003. Many residents, as reported by several local TV stations, were unaware the building had no fire sprinkler system and had never heard of any meetings or drills relating to emergency situations.

The fire burned for around 4 hours and was mostly confined to 2 floors, due to the quick reactions from the approximately 100 fire fighters that responded to the blaze.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there was an 80% lower risk of death and a reduction of 71% in property damage costs in buildings equipped with fire sprinklers vs. those without, between 1996 and 2001.

HVAC Installation Accidents

Injury From Electrical Shock During HVAC Service

A man fell while working on an HVAC unit in Wilmington, Delaware inside a building on 1201 North Orange Street shortly after 3 p.m., after what appeared to be an electrical shock, according to reporting by David Chang at local NBC10 News. The worker was found hanging from a ladder, apparently convulsing. While attempting to rescue him, the ladder was knocked over and he fell to the floor.

Apartment Under Construction Burns Due To Faulty HVAC

New Albany, Kentucky’s $26.5 million Breakwater luxury apartment complex received major damage from a fire on Friday, Feb. 24. According to the New Albany Fire Department, as reported at WDRB.com on March 2nd, they have now determined that the fire was caused by a layer of insulation around a copper line catching fire by an errant torch being operated by an hVAC installer. He initially attempted to put the fire out himself and thought he had succeeded. The fire continued to smolder and was noticed the next morning, nearly 15 hours later, by a neighbor. Most of the building will probably have to be destroyed before construction can begin again. Sadly, the building was still in the early stages of construction and a fire sprinkler system was not yet installed.