Police said a “freak accident” at a Utah pool caused nearly 50 people to vomit, cough and have nose bleeds after becoming exposed to chlorine gas Tuesday.
The people, mostly children, were exposed to the gas after the pump put too much chlorine in the water, The Associated Press reported Tuesday. Officials did not believe patients were in life-threatening conditions.
But American Fork Hospital emergency room doctor Nathan Miller said some people could have could have chronic respiratory problems, according to KSL. (RELATED: Alligator Breaks Through Florida Kitchen Window)
“The more serious patients have some wheezing and then even more serious that their oxygen numbers drop and they require oxygen, then require breathing treatments,” Miller said, KSL reported. “Essentially, it would be like a severe asthma attack where they could potentially suffocate.”
The incident occurred at Pleasant Grove Veterans Memorial Pool, about 36 miles south of Salt Lake City, according to the AP.
A chlorine leak at Veterans Memorial Pool in Pleasent Grove sent over two dozen people to the hospital. Four were admitted to Timpanogos Regional Hospital according to doctors who saw a total of 14 patients. One doctor calls it a mass casualty event. @abc4utah #GMU pic.twitter.com/KVh9JGHMzS
— Jason Nguyen (@FollowWIN) June 5, 2019
The Pleasant Grove Police Department and the Utah County Health Department did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.