52°42′1.4″N5°15′5″E / 52.700389°N 5.25139°E /52.700389; 5.25139
| Part ofWestfriese Flora | |
 Legionella pneumophila bacterium | |
 | |
| Native name | Legionellaramp |
|---|---|
| Date | 25 February 1999 (1999-02-25) |
| Venue | CNB Auction Hall |
| Location | Bovenkarspel,Netherlands |
| Cause | Hot tub filled with water from long-inactivefire hose |
| Deaths | (at least) 32 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 206 |
TheBovenkarspel legionellosis outbreak (Dutch:Legionellaramp; Legionella disaster) began on 25 February 1999 inBovenkarspel, theNetherlands, and was one of the largest outbreaks oflegionellosis in history.[1] With at least 32 dead and 206 severe infections, it was the deadliest legionellosis outbreak since the original1976 outbreak inPhiladelphia, United States.
Between 19 and 28 February 1999, theWestfriese Flora took place in Bovenkarspel, one of the largest indoor flower exhibitions in the world (later the Holland Flowers Festival). A vendor had several recreationalhot tubs on display, with one of them filled from a long-inactivefire hose and heated to 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit). In the water that had previously stagnated inside the hose, a very aggressive type oflegionella pneumophila bacterium had developed.[2][3]