More claims filed against the U.S. Navy for contaminating Oahu’s drinking water from Red Hill Facility
After suffering a stroke in 2020 and almost making a full recovery
By Kristen Consillio
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HAWAII (KITV) — After suffering a stroke in 2020 and almost making a full recovery, Daniel Traina says drinking the poisoned Red Hill water set back all of his progress.
“My left leg almost doesn’t move at all. My left arm’s just really weak,” he said. “There’s a lot of extra suffering and fear, and falls, and a lot of times there’s nobody to help me.”
More than 100 military family members and civilians filed new claims against the Navy today — many saying their health problems are only getting worse.
Traina’s among them.
“Over the last year they have gas lit these families and looked at sick families and told them that they’re not sick and it’s not OK,” she said.
The amended lawsuit blames the Navy for releasing thousands of gallons of jet fuel and other chemicals into the drinking water system at least twice in 2021.
It also accuses the Navy of destroying more than a thousand water samples from the homes of affected families.
“Over the last year they have gaslit these families and looked at sick families and told them that they’re not sick and it’s not OK,” she said.
The Navy told KITV4 it is not commenting on the litigation, and has previously said there is no evidence of long-term negative health effects.
But 80% of nearly 1,000 people recently surveyed by the state Health Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported ongoing health issues.
And for Traina, doctors predict it’ll take him years to recover.
“Life altering, devastating, in every aspect of my life.”
The Defense Department is currently working to defuel and decommission the Red Hill fuel storage facility.
That’s after last year’s massive fuel spills, contaminating the drinking water for thousands of residents on Oahu.
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