LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- An unknown number of children got sick Tuesday after a chemical leak at a Prospect pool.
Officials said it happened Tuesday at the Glen Oaks Country Club. The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness said the problem was likely the result of gas being released into the pool caused by a buildup of chlorine and muriatic acid, both common chemicals used in pool treatment.
Health officials said most of the children affected had difficulty breathing, but it's not clear how badly anyone was hurt or how many.
Glen Oaks voluntarily closed the pool, and inspectors from Metro Health and the state have been monitoring the chemical levels.
"When we went back out there after the incident and tested the water, the water was within compliant ranges," said Nick Hart, assistant director of the Environmental Health Division of Metro Health. "When the fire department was out there they weren't detecting any VOCs or any continued danger from the facility."
Metro Health said the pool at Glen Oaks previously passed its annual inspection. The club said it will reopen the pool Thursday if they get the OK from the health department, which is still investigating how the chemical leak happened.
In a statement to club members, Glen Oaks said the "isolated incident" involved "some members of the swim team."
"We are not completely aware of the extent of any injuries to anyone at this time but we are investigating as best as we can so we can communicate with those affected and offer our deepest sympathies," the statement read, in part.Â
This comes just weeks after the city's launch of a new online portal that tracks water safety at swimming pools in Louisville in an effort to prevent illness from recreational waters.
The portal, created by Metro Health, tracks inspection data for local pools and spas in Jefferson County. Inspection data includes pools in city and state parks, condos, apartments, hotels, amusement parks, recreation venues and private clubs.
Around 500 pools around Louisville are inspected. Each pool goes through a full inspection twice a year, while water samples are collected twice a week.
The CDC said at least 208 outbreaks linked to treated recreational water occurred in the U.S. from 2015 to 2019. The outbreaks resulted in 3,646 cases of illness, 286 hospitalizations and 13 deaths. The CDC said deaths were attributed to Legionella, a bacteria that can cause a serious pneumonia-type illness.Â
To view the data portal, click here.
Related Stories:
Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
