12 People Hospitalized After Likely Over-Chlorination at Pool in Texas

File photo of an ambulance vehicle in Texas. Francois Picard/AFP via Getty Images

At least 12 people have been taken to the hospital on Saturday following a chlorine spill at a water ride in Houston, Texas.

The Houston Fire Department said on Twitter it responded to a report of a “chlorine spill with possible accidental ingestion” in a lazy river pool area just before 5:00 p.m. at 1200 Wilcrest Drive, which is where Houston’s Family Sports Fitness Club is located.

“7 children and 3 adults have been transported to the hospital. Several went by private vehicle,” the department said. It later updated the number to say a total of 12 people were transported to nearby hospitals. No further information was provided as to their conditions.

By 8:25 p.m., Samuel Pena, chief of the department, said the incident “is under control” and that the cause “appears to be an over-chlorination of the pool(s).” He noted that exposure to chlorination “can provoke asthma, nausea, skin & eye irritation.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people can have multiple signs and symptoms after being exposed to high concentrations of chlorine, including blurred vision and teary eyes, burning sensation in their nose, throat, lungs, and eyes, coughing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, nausea, vomiting, wheezing, as well as skin pain, redness, and blisters. In the case of liquified chlorine, people could also experience frostbite.

There is no known antidote for chlorine exposure, the CDC said but treatment involves removing the chlorine from the body as soon as possible and providing supportive medical care. The agency emphasized that if someone has ingested chlorine, do not induce them to vomit.