More than 10 Indian students hospitalised after chlorine gas leakage in public swimming pool

Parents complain of improper chlorine system maintainace and management

Children fell sick after an incident of chlorine gas leakage occurred in a swimming pool academy at Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh (NDTV / YouTube)

More than 10 students in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, aged between 8 to 14 years, fell ill after chlorine gas leakage at a local public swimming pool.

Children were practising swimming in the 50-metre-long local public pool in Vijayawada district when the gas leakage took place.

“The incident happened at around 8.30pm on Wednesday night. Some of the swimmers requested us to give them permission for swimming as they are having a competition on December 11. We told them to get permission from the municipal commissioner and they said they have permission,” the swimming pool academy officials told the local media.

“Due to the leakage of chlorine gas in the swimming pool, 10 to 12 students aged between 8-14 years fell ill,” Rambabu, a senior officials identified only his first name in local media, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

While the children were practising in the pool, the pipe of the chlorine tank broke. The parents immediately alerted the maintenance staff. Reports said that some children even suffered suffocation in the process. Soon, the police were called to the spot. The authorities have started investigating the cause of the chlorine gas leak.

The children who fell sick were taken to a government hospital. “The gas leakage happened due to old equipment and an old gas cylinder. It was controlled later. All students are stable now. One of our staff also fell ill in this incident along with students,” Mr Rambabu said.

One child has been admitted to a private hospital and his health condition is said to be critical, the media reported later. The other students are stable, the supervisor informed.

Meanwhile, parents complained of improper chlorine system maintenance and management in the pool.