EPIC Hotel guest dies after contracting Legionnaire’s Disease

The EPIC hotel in Miami has stopped booking new guests after one guest died and two more fell ill from contracting Legionnaire’s Disease at the hotel earlier this fall.

The EPIC, a Kimpton Hotel, has transferred all current guests to nearby hotels while the Miami-Dade Health Department investigates the situation. Legionnaire’s disease is an acute respiratory infection usually contracted from infected water delivery systems.

Earlier this year, the EPIC made efforts to improve its drinking water throughout the hotel. The Miami Herald reports: “An investigation this week by county and state officials revealed that the hotel had installed a water filter powerful enough to remove chlorine from its city-supplied water, a move that encouraged bacterial growth.”

The hotel has been closed indefinitely to new guests but remains open while hotel staff and the health department resolve the issue. The hotel posted a note on its website detailing the precautionary measures currently being taken:

  • Immediate notification and communication of precautionary measures to guests and staff
  • Relocation of guests to area hotels to maximize guest care and minimize inconvenience
  • Efforts underway to notify future guests booked during this time, to make alternative arrangements
  • Worked together with the health department to conduct a thorough inspection of the hotel’s water system
  • Proceeded with all remedial procedures in conjunction with the health department to restore full system operations

There is no immediate reopen date on the hotel’s website.

Story via HotelChatter