Ford Plant Reopens After Legionnaires' Outbreak

C L E V E L A N D, March 20 -- There were some doubts and worries.

Even so, workers at a Ford Motor Co. engine casting plant returned to work early today, assured their plant had been properly cleansed after an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease.

The third shift, primarily maintenance and setup work, left an informational meeting at 12:30 a.m. and went to work. Production shifts were expected to report later today.

Four workers at the plant came down with Legionnaires' disease, and the plant was ordered temporarily closed last Wednesday night.

Workers David Hinderman, 53, and Donald Tafoya, 61, were diagnosed with the disease and died.

Spreading Through Mist

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been analyzing water samples taken from the plant. Ford has not confirmed that the source of the disease was in the plant, but the company had it disinfected anyway.

Legionnaires' is a form of pneumonia that is spread through inhalation of mist from contaminated water. It was first identified at a 1976 American Legion convention in Philadelphia. Symptoms include high fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Ford's Cleveland Casting Plant in suburban Brook Park has 2,500 employees.

About 450 third-shift workers began meeting with Ford officials, and county and state health officials, Monday night to get details on what was done to make the plant safe. Ford spokesman Edward Miller described meeting, closed to the media, as quiet with plant workers listening intently.

Numerous Questions

Miller said that the meeting with workers went longer than scheduled and concluded shortly after midnight, after workers asked numerous questions. After some workers expressed concerns, the standing-room only crowd in a plant garage filed into the casting plant to begin the work shift.

Miller said some of the workers said that they would feel better if the source of the bacteria was known.

Tim Levandusky, vice president of Local 1250, said all the workers agreed to start their shift.