Two companies have been fined a total of €60,000 for their role in an outbreak of Legionaires’ disease in Amsterdam which left two people dead and made 29 unwell, news agency ANP reports.

The outbreak, in a cooling tower at a former post office building near the capital’s main station, took place in July 2006.
Amsterdam district court ruled the two companies – Recool and Axima – were negligent. Even though workers at both firms knew there were no chemicals to keep the risk of disease under control, no-one took any action for at least a month, the court said.
The tower was owned by Recool and leased by Axima. Recool’s director and a senior manager at Axima were also given a three-month suspended jail sentence. Four other workers were found not guilty.