3 ND soldiers join lawsuits over Iraq 'burn pits'

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Three North Dakota men who served in Iraq have joined lawsuits filed around the country against military contractors Halliburton Co. and KBR, Inc., alleging the companies exposed them to toxic fumes and ash from burn pits used for waste.

A lawsuit filed in federal court in Fargo by Patrick Cassidy of Fargo, William Dutton of Bismarck and Christopher Kozel of the Minot Air Force Base, claims the contractors burned everything from human remains to dangerous chemicals and medical waste in the open-air pits.

Similar lawsuits against the Houston-based contractors have been filed in more than 30 other states.

KBR has denied the allegations and said it follows military regulations on the disposal of waste. Halliburton, which was KBR's parent company until 2007, has maintained it should not be named in the lawsuits.

The Fargo lawsuit claims Kozel has been diagnosed with lymphoma that was a "direct result" of exposure to toxins emitted by the burn pits. He was stationed at Balad Air Force Base for four months, the complaint said.

Cassidy, who was at Balad for nearly a year, suffered pneumonia and continues to suffer from pulmonary complications, the lawsuit said.

Dutton, who was deployed to Iraq with the North Dakota National Guard for a year, has suffered from constant joint pain, memory loss, migraines, digestive issues, skin rashes, open sores and breathing problems, the lawsuit said.

Lawsuits in other states have been merged under U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus in Greenbelt, Md., for pretrial proceedings, said Susan Burke, a Washington, D.C., attorney for the plaintiffs.

The Fargo lawsuit asks that the companies cover future medical expenses and pay other unspecified compensation.