A chlorine leak at a swimming pool in Canada sent 13 children to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario on August 7.
Paramedics responded to a call that approximately 20 children had been exposed to concentrated amounts of chlorine in the wave pool at the Calypso Water Park in east Ottawa.
J.P. Trottier, a spokesperson for Ottawa paramedics, said the children's ages varied from 4 to 14. Most of the children were complaining of irritation and burning eyes, but three had more serious symptoms, including nausea, vomiting and upper airway irritation. A 14th child was treated at the water park but did not need to go to the hospital.
A witness, Nick Beaudoin, a witness who had two nephews, ages 6 and 8, who were transported to the hospital, said the fumes were all around the area and that many of the children had inhaled much of the toxic chemical.
“There were kids vomiting and foaming at the mouth everywhere,” Beaudoin said.
Beaudoin added that the water park's first aid crews were overwhelmed by the number of children that were affected by the chlorine before the ambulances arrived.
