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WorkSafe has issued a ban notice to an Upper Hutt pool, restricting the use of its slides, a day after 11 children were hospitalized after using them.
The slides would be required to remain closed until the notice is lifted, a WorkSafe spokeswoman said Friday.
Emergency services were called to Upper Hutt’s H2O Xtream Aquatic Center just after 2 p.m. Thursday, following initial reports of a possible chemical spill.
An off duty nurse on the scene told him Things dozens of children vomited, passed out and hyperventilated after using the slides. Eleven children were hospitalized and many others required medical attention.
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* The Upper Hutt Pool Waterslide That Left 11 Children In The Hospital Was Closed Earlier Over Chlorine Concerns
* 11 children in hospital after chemical spill in Upper Hutt H2O Xtream pool
Initial WorkSafe investigations suggested to the Upper Hutt City Council that the lack of ventilation in the slides was a factor that helped explain why the children got so sick.
Capital & Coast District Health Board spokesperson Chas Te Runa confirmed Friday that all patients were discharged Thursday night.
Assistant Fire and Emergency Area Commander Martin Wilby said later Thursday that the incident was related to chlorine or a chlorine-based product.
H2O Xtream reopened on Friday, after closing early Thursday, but the slides remained closed.
The Upper Hutt City Council said in a statement Friday that the incident did not include a chemical spill or leak.
“WorkSafe has identified the most likely cause as the lack of ventilation in the slide area being a contributing factor, along with the heavy use of the slides at the time,” said Upper Hutt City Council Communications Advisor Matt Weavers .
KEVIN STENT / Stuff
A firefighter uses a gas detection device after a chlorine-related incident on Upper Hutt’s H2O Xtream.
“This requires further investigation, so we can take appropriate corrective action to ensure that an incident like this does not happen again.”
The statement explains that as chlorine destroys the organic matter in the water, it produces chloramines, which in a poorly ventilated area can irritate the eyes and make breathing difficult.
Two hours before the first child passed out, the slides had closed due to a water chlorine reading of 4 parts per million (ppm).
Weavers said this was still within New Zealand’s maximum standard of 7 ppm.
The slides were reopened at 1 pm, once the reading returned to 2.9 ppm.
“Within 5 to 10 minutes after opening the slides, one child felt unwell on the bottom of the slide and several other children (ages 10 to 15) showed various symptoms of eye and breathing discomfort,” Weavers said. .
“The slides were closed, first aid was administered and an ambulance was called at the same time.”
Once emergency services arrived, the building was evacuated as a precaution, he said.
KEVIN STENT / Stuff
Police, fire and emergency personnel, Wellington’s free ambulance and regional public health were in attendance at the pool.
Last Saturday, the aquatic center posted on its Facebook page that the pools and slides had been closed due to a problem with the filtration system and chlorine levels.
“We will update when our chlorine levels go back to savings levels,” he said.
A post the next day said the filtration system was back in operation and the pools and slides were reopened.
Upper Hutt City Council Community Services Director Mike Ryan said Friday the council “deeply regrets the incident.”
“Our thoughts are with the children and their families who were affected yesterday afternoon.”
A registered nurse, who asked not to be identified for contractual confidentiality reasons, was in the pool Thursday when she noticed that a boy, who she believed to be about 9 years old, appeared to have passed out from a slip.
He said he saw about 40 elementary school-age children fall down the slide, all of whom became ill afterward.
“The students coughed with red eyes, vomited and passed out,” he said.
“Everyone who went down the slide had respiratory problems. Many of them had very red and itchy eyes that had to be washed. “
The children who had not gone down the slide also said they had trouble breathing, were vomiting and had red eyes, he added.
