NYC Mayor Warns WTC Liability Suits Could Bankrupt City

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told the committee investigating the Sept. 11 attacks that personal injury lawsuits against the city by persons claiming they’ve suffered long-term health damage as a result of the attacks and the subsequent clean-up activities could eventually bankrupt the city.

The amount of dust and debris caused by the collapse of the twin towers reached monumental proportions, and is being blamed for health problems among construction workers who cleaned up the WTC site in only 8 months, emergency service personnel and ordinary citizens who lived or worked in the area.

According to a report from Reuters News Agency Bloomberg observed that there was little the city could have done to prevent the attacks and the subsequent loss of over 2800 lives. He indicated that the failure of airport security was the most direct cause, and requested that the U.S. Congress give the city “retrospective indemnification” from personal injury lawsuits related to the Sept. 11 attacks and the clean-up efforts.