A Bronx woman is suing her gym after a boot-camp-style workout went horribly wrong, calling into question the safety of some non-traditional equipment.
According to the New York Post, Jeannette Burgos is suing Active Health and Fitness Club in Mount Vernon after her ankle was crushed by a 400-pound tire, of which nearby exercisers had lost control.
"Once they got the tire off my foot, I saw [the foot] was flipped to the opposite direction of my body. My toes were facing my back," Burgos, who filed suit against the gym in Bronx Supreme Court, told the Post. "I was screaming in pain and agony trying to get on that stretcher. My foot was just hanging."
Burgos claims that her instructor, Emil Paolucci, knew the large tires could be dangerous, as he told the class that his own niece broke her wrist using a giant tire during exercise. The suit also alleges that classes were overcrowded.
Burgos is now on disability from her law-enforcement job. She says fitness is very important to her, as it allows her to control her weight. Her lawyer said the gym’s choice of equipment was irresponsible. "It doesn't make sense to me that a huge, 400-pound tire is an appropriate piece of equipment to be using in a gym," the lawyer said.
