Children Left Vomiting After Chemical Spill at Swimming Pool

Dozens of children on a school trip to a swimming pool in New Zealand were left vomiting and struggling to breathe after a suspected chlorine spill. Eleven of the children had to be hospitalized.

Emergency services arrived at the H2O Xtream Aquatic Centre in Upper Hutt, north of the capital city Wellington, on Thursday afternoon to treat the children.

A registered nurse, who declined to give her name, told the Kiwi news outlet Stuff that she saw about 40 children go down a slide and then become ill. One boy, aged about nine, fainted.

"The students were coughing with red eyes, vomiting and fainting," she said. "Everyone that came down the slide had respiratory issues. Lots of them had really red, stinging eyes that had to be washed out."

"What was scary was that they came off the slide into a pool and could slip under," she added.

A spokesperson for Wellington Free Ambulance, which sent three ambulances to the scene, said 15 patients had been treated. Eleven children are in nearby Hutt Hospital in a stable condition.

Fire and emergency assistant area commander Martin Wilby told Stuff: "We are confirming that this was associated with chlorine and are keeping it clear until we make sure."

Upper Hutt City Council, which runs the aquatic centre, said it had closed the pool "due to an air quality issue."

The council said it had been given clearance to reopen the facility on Friday, although a decision had not yet been taken. The slides would stay closed during the investigation into the incident, which is being carried out by the New Zealand watchdog WorkSafe.

"A small number of children suffering discomfort have been taken to hospital for observation," the council statement read.

"Council is investigating the issue and will assess whether or not to reopen tomorrow as more information comes to light," it added.

Newsweek has contacted Upper Hutt Council for further comment.

In December 2019, the council reported that the children's pool at the same aquatic centre had to be closed for several hours after chlorine rose above normal levels. It said the levels were monitored by an automated system that deposits the chemical in the water. The chlorine concentration is also checked every three hours by pool staff.

At low levels, chlorine inhalation can cause irritation to the skin, eye and throat, while higher concentrations can lead to asthma symptoms such as wheezing and tightness of the chest. Children tend to be more sensitive to the chemical.