POMPANO BEACH - The
family of a deceased man is suing a Pompano Beach
condominium, which they said, is responsible for the death
of their family member.
The family said 87-year-old Vincenzo Cammalleri died, and
his friend is still badly ill, after getting infected with
Legionnaires disease, a pneumonia that spreads when a
bacteria is inhaled or when contaminated water is swallowed.
The family said
Cammalleri and his friend got sick while using the
condominium’s hot tub.
Now the family is grieving the loss of Cammalleri, a parent
and grandparent, who spent his winters in his Pompano Beach
condominium, The Renaissance of Pompano Beach II, with his
wife, who not only lost her companion but best friend.
The couple of 60 years loved to dance and were quite active,
according to the family.
“He always said ‘I got lots to do, lots to do,’ said Ross
Cammalleri, the victim’s son. “Because of this, there’s
nothing else for him to do except rest.” |
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Cammalleri died on
March 16, according to his son, Ross, after contracting the
disease.
“He started to get flu-like symptoms on and off. They got
worse, he became a little more weak,” said Ross.
Vincenzo was admitted to the hospital and was diagnosed with
Legionnaires disease.
“When you contract Legionnaires, when you test positive for
it, you are diagnosed with Legionnaires disease which is a
severe form of pneumonia,” said Eric Shane, the family’s
attorney.
The 87-year-old declined rapidly and then suffered cardiac
arrest.
“It’s very hard. It’s very hard on my mom,” said Ross.
The family has filed a lawsuit against the condominium
association on behalf of Vincenzo and his friend Giuseppe.
“We filed a wrongful death action on behalf of Vincenzo’s
family for negligence,” said Shane.
According to the lawsuit, the jacuzzi was raging with active
legionella after, the lawsuit said, the condominium
association failed to maintain the jacuzzi.
“Jacuzzis are also breeding grounds for this type of
bacteria to form and develop because of the heat of the
water and the amount of bathers who use them, the heat will
burn through the chlorine,” said Shane.
7Skyforce flew over the condominium and captured the jacuzzi
still blocked off.
“We all miss him a lot and he was a great dad and a great
grandfather,” said Ross.
The family said Vincenzo was a grandfather of five
grandchildren, an amazing father, and a dance partner to his
wife.
“This didn’t need to happen, it was avoidable, it should’ve
never happened and we can’t let this happen to anyone else,”
said Ross.
The condominium association sent out a letter on March 22 to
residents, explaining how they are going to remedy the
situation. They highlighted several actions including
closing the spa, changing filters, having more testing of
the water, and even hiring a consultant.
In the letter, the association said “the management and
board of directors regret that this has occurred.”
7News did not hear back from the management of the
condominium or its lawyers.