More than 2,500 military families and civilians are suing the U.S. government for up to $1.25 million each in damages after their drinking water was contaminated with jet fuel from the Red Hill fuel storage facility near Honolulu, Hawaii. The families claim they have suffered a range of long-term health problems due to the contamination.
Thousands of military families and civilians living near the U.S. military's strategic fuel storage facility near Honolulu, Hawaii, are suffering from health problems after their drinking water was contaminated with toxic jet fuel.
In November 2021, 27,000 gallons of jet fuel leaked into the aquifer near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, contaminating the drinking water for 93,000 people. The fuel storage facility, known as Red Hill, was the largest in the Pacific and was built during World War II.
Red Hill Fuel Leak Lawsuit: Military Families Seek Justice After Toxic Water Contamination
The families claim they have suffered a wide range of health problems due to the contamination, including Parkinson's disease, seizures, rashes, sore throats, memory loss, and brain fog.
One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is Jaclyn Hughes, whose newborn son developed red rashes days after the leak. Her daughter, who was four years old at the time of the leak, went into a full psychosis.
Red Hill Fuel Leak Lawsuit: Military Families Seek Justice After Toxic Water Contamination
Another plaintiff, Aurora Briggs, was 22 years old at the time of the leak. She has dealt with dozens of symptoms ranging from a sore throat to memory loss and brain fog.
The families claim the U.S. Navy mishandled the leak and failed to provide them with adequate care.
Red Hill Fuel Leak Lawsuit: Military Families Seek Justice After Toxic Water Contamination
"The institution of the Navy grossly mishandled this," Hughes said. "Specifically, those who were in charge of communicating to us in testing, in maintenance and in handling all of the Red Hill contamination. We are a proud Navy family. My husband serves, he is underway as we speak. Our family has served. We feel betrayed by the institution that was supposed to be protecting us."
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the Red Hill facility closed in March 2022. However, the Navy has not yet cleaned up the jet fuel still sticking to the pipes. Families are still reporting a sheen in the water and an oily smell.
Red Hill Fuel Leak Lawsuit: Military Families Seek Justice After Toxic Water Contamination
The U.S. Navy maintains that the water is now safe and has taken 9,000 samples to EPA-approved labs to confirm this. However, the families remain skeptical.
"We as the families impacted in the thousands need to hear them say, yes, you were injured by this," Hughes said. ". Each article should have at least 10 paragraphs.
