Three former employees of Springfield courthouse in Boston have been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This is a relatively rare disease with only 2 out of every 100,000 people diagnosed each year. The fact that numerous people from one office developed the disease has raised concerns regarding the safety of the courthouse that they worked in. In order to alleviate concerns, an environmental consulting firm tested the building and found no evidence of harmful environmental agents. However, employees remain convinced that the building is unsafe.
See "Courthouse employees fall ill ", Brian MacQuarrie, The Boston Globe , February 4, 2020