February 11, 2009 4:48 PM

NYC Adds WTC Dust Death To 9/11 List

(CBS/AP)  A woman who died of lung disease five months after Sept. 11 was added on Wednesday to the medical examiner's list of attack victims, marking the first time the city has officially linked a death to the toxic dust caused by the World Trade Center's collapse.

Felicia Dunn-Jones, a 42-year-old attorney who was caught in the dust cloud while fleeing the collapsing towers on Sept. 11, 2001, died of sarcoidosis, a disease that causes inflammation and scarring in the lungs, on Feb. 10, 2002.

Chief Medical Examiner Charles Hirsch, citing "accumulated scientific research" that concluded exposure to trade center dust can cause or contribute to sarcoidosis, said that "Mrs. Dunn-Jones' exposure to World Trade Center dust on 9/11/01 contributed to her death and it has been ruled a homicide."

"Mrs. Dunn-Jones has now been added to the list of people who died as a result of the collapse of the World Trade Center towers," Hirsch wrote.

"It'll be an honor," her widower, Joe Jones, told CBS News. "We feel she always deserved to be on that list."

"You're almost without words," he said.

The city said the Sept. 11 death toll at the trade center stands at 2,750.

A class action lawsuit has claimed dozens of deaths have been caused by exposure to toxic trade center dust. A New Jersey medical examiner last year ruled that the January 2006 death of a retired police detective, 34-year-old James Zadroga, was "directly related" to his work at ground zero on and after Sept. 11.

Dunn-Jones' estate received a $2.6 million death benefit from a federal fund to compensate victims' families.

New York lawmakers, some of whom urged the city to add Dunn-Jones to the death toll last year, said more should be added in the future.

"Sadly, we have known that Felicia is not alone and that others have died from ailments caused by 9/11," said U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. "I hope that the medical examiner is no longer in denial about the trade center dust. Dr. Hirsch must review the cases of other 9/11 heroes who, like Felicia, died in the prime of their lives."

Dunn-Jones' family had asked last year that the medical examiner add her name to the death toll, but Hirsch wrote at the time that his office could not link her death to the exposure "with certainty beyond a reasonable doubt."

Since then, a doctor for the Fire Department of New York published a study that found firefighters who worked at ground zero contracted sarcoidosis at a much higher rate after the Sept. 11 attacks than before, linking the disease firmly to the dust exposure.

A New Jersey medical examiner last year ruled that the January 2006 death of a retired police detective, 34-year-old James Zadroga, was "directly related" to his work at ground zero on and after Sept. 11.

Zadroga's father, Joseph Zadroga, said his son also suffered from sarcoidosis and that he and many others should be added to the list of victims with Dunn-Jones.

"I think that anybody that passes as a result of 9/11 should be listed on the wall," he said.

Dunn-Jones will be listed on the Sept. 11 memorial with the names of 2,973 people killed on Sept. 11 in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., memorial foundation spokeswoman Lynn Rasic said.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who chairs the foundation, said his "thoughts and prayers are with the Dunn-Jones family."

"It is on their behalf and on behalf of all those affected by 9/11 that we are now building a memorial that remembers and honors the thousands of innocents that died," he said.

© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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by aznyron-2009 May 25, 2007 4:09 AM EDT
ralan40 there is footage showing the wtc coming down until the dust cloud covered the photo go to reopen911.com I am not a Bush fan I do not believe what was told to me about 9-11 why did the EPA say it was not safe to breath the air then retracted it statement why did mayor Rudy say it was safe to go there to work with out proper breathing equipment to many lies and cover ups why did they move the steel beams so quick I wrote in a prevouis post the WTC steel eye beams was covered with asbestos to fire proof them you don't have to be left or right just have open mind and challenge some thing that does not look kosher as for insulting people in here for there views no matter how far left or right is uncalled for we all have opinions and some might be extreme as for Mr Silerstein who get several billion dollors from insurance co is a joke I wouldn't give him a dime he leased the towers not owned them if I lease a house and it burns down the owner collect the ins. to my knowledge but I could be wrong AMEN
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by sanfelz May 25, 2007 12:49 AM EDT
When the air quality was bad, Rudy and Christie lied and one of the first of many has died.
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by mo005 May 25, 2007 12:33 AM EDT
dlpracer: I LIKE THIS GUY, HE MAKES MORE SENSE THAN ANYONE ON HERE IN AWHILE.
Reply to this comment
by dlpracer May 24, 2007 10:09 PM EDT
So, dlpracer are you that true of a lemming? When told to jump, do you ask how high? You are a true, red, white & blue follower. You bleed Limbaugh red, Hannity white, and Coulter blue. U will always follow and never lead. What part of king77shaw's post was "untrue"? U R a true AMERICAN IDIOT. How much more blind, deaf & dumb do U have to get. When walking today, watch that last step. Better turn on the radio or tv, I'm sure one of your lemming leaders is calling!

Posted by mdc76082 at 06:52 PM : May 24, 2007
---------

Your post is a testimony to the left's response to everything that is different to their point of view.

lemming
blind
deaf
dumb

OK, that is quite the vocabulary you have there.

Nope, I can read, write, listen and speak. Not necessarily in that order.

One thing I do know, I would be open to debate anyone that you are aligned with.

Good luck with your use of the English language in the future.

Yikes!!
Reply to this comment
by mdc76082 May 24, 2007 9:52 PM EDT
"we are witnessing the consequences of the plan failing - a failed policy in the middle east - a powerful Iran - An increasingly isolated Israel that couldn't beat Hezbollah - Iraq in a downward spiral - Lebanon in chaos - US debt at an all time high - gas prices at an all time high - CEO pay at an all time high - confidence in the presidency at an all-time low - global attitude towards America at an all time low - personal savings at an all time low - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ?

Posted by king77shaw at 04:14 PM : May 24, 2007
--------

If ANYTHING you said here were true, the average American would have a reason for concern.

Unfortunately, you are spending too much time reading left-wing blogs, Air American, Bill Maher, Rosie, Soros, MoveOn.org, the Daily Kos and on and on.

It is all political tripe.

Try again.
Posted by dlpracer at 05:04 PM
-----------------------------------------------

So, dlpracer are you that true of a lemming? When told to jump, do you ask how high? You are a true, red, white & blue follower. You bleed Limbaugh red, Hannity white, and Coulter blue. U will always follow and never lead. What part of king77shaw's post was "untrue"? U R a true AMERICAN IDIOT. How much more blind, deaf & dumb do U have to get. When walking today, watch that last step. Better turn on the radio or tv, I'm sure one of your lemming leaders is calling!
Reply to this comment
by dlpracer May 24, 2007 9:20 PM EDT
dlpracer, your denial of KingShaw's post is (at least in part) a denial of reality.

"A failed policy in the Middle East" -

...a general question that has no answer. There has been variable degrees of success and failure in the ME for decades. But the ME has NEVER been stable in recent times pre-Bush.

"An increasingly isolated Israel that couldn't beat Hezbollah" -

IF the Israel military wanted to lay waste to the region to WIN a war against Hezbollah, it could, period. but Hezbollah prefers hiding behind civilians.

"Lebanon in chaos -"

Again compared to Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), it is relatively calm. Look it up.

"US debt at an all time high - gas prices at an all time high - CEO pay at an all time high"

The US debt was higher in the 50-60's than today. While the U.S. national debt is the world's largest in absolute size, a more accurate measure is that of its size relative to the nation's GDP. When the national debt is put into this perspective it appears considerably less today than in past years, particularly during World War II. By this measure, it is also considerably less than those of other industrialized nations such as Japan and roughly equivalent to those of several Western European nations

CEO pay based on return to stockholder is relative to other periods.

"confidence in the presidency at an all-time low"

Bush is still higher that Nixon and Truman. Facts are facts...even though that is hardly anything to brag about.

Try again
Reply to this comment
by gerryrigger May 24, 2007 9:03 PM EDT
What's the true death toll resulting from 9/11, you ask? All the casualties of the war on terror post-9/11 should be counted in. This includes not just our military deaths, but civilian deaths on both sides, too. I'm sure there was more than one person (the man who committed suicide at ground zero after Bush won reelection)who took his or her own life out of psychological trauma and hopelessness in the grim regime of this psychopathic, megalomaniacal president and his equally power-sick cronies. 9/11 is not just skyscrapers collapsing, killing thousands. It's also about the dust and smoke that arose from the depths of the dark side of humanity, obliterating with fear the ideals that made this nation great and strong. It's this cloud of fear which the administration has constantly stirred that has lingered and keeps on killing people almost six years after 9/11.
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by jimibear May 24, 2007 8:54 PM EDT
dlpracer, your denial of KingShaw's post is (at least in part) a denial of reality.

"A failed policy in the Middle East" -

How's it working?

"An increasingly isolated Israel that couldn't beat Hezbollah" -

What's incorrect there? Israel's isolation from the region is deepening, and in fact they were not able to beat Hezbollah - the first time Israel has lost a military conflict, in fact.

"Lebanon in chaos -"

Isn't it?

"US debt at an all time high - gas prices at an all time high - CEO pay at an all time high"

These are all verifiably true. The national debt has more than doubled under Bush. Gas is over $4 for regular unleaded in parts of the country, up from $1.46 a gallon on average in January, 2001. Likewise, CEOs on average now make more than they ever have in the past.

"confidence in the presidency at an all-time low"

Bush has held the lowest approval ratings of any president in history. Polls show that respect for and confidence in the office of the presidency has vanished.



Reply to this comment
by notblue May 24, 2007 8:53 PM EDT
The leftwing pascifist isolationist agenda would not make sense if reality and true facts were chosen as the premise for there agenda. So in order for the liberals of America to make sense of there anti-war anti-Bush agenda they need to concoct conspiracy theories that blame Bush and America. The true enemy, radical Islam couldn't have hoped for a better allie. The militants could have never imagined that the deflection of responsibility for there barbaric attacks would come from the leftwing here in America.
Reply to this comment
by evelyn7221 May 24, 2007 8:18 PM EDT
How about you jump off a building and we'll time how fast until you hit the ground?

Posted by ralan40 at 05:09 PM : May 24, 2007

--------------------------------

Taunting someone to attempt suicide.... real classy dude. I'm TOTALLY going to take *everything* you say at face value since you have such intelligent and insigtful comments to provide for the discussion.

Suicide is no joke. I don't care how far left or right you are. That was totally out of line.
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