Janitor's Mistake Ruins 20 Years of Pioneering Cell Research, University Seeks $1M in Damages

A janitor accidentally turned off a university lab freezer containing decades of irreplaceable cell research, causing over $1 million in damages.
The janitor, employed by an outside cleaning company, flipped a circuit breaker off that powered the freezer in an attempt to silence an alarm.
The freezer was storing cells, samples and other materials for a study on photosynthesis that had the potential to advance solar technology.
Even a small temperature change could destroy the specimens, and with the freezer off, most were compromised beyond salvage.
The university is suing the cleaning company for improper training and breach of contract, seeking at least $1 million to attempt to replicate the lost research.