TUALATIN, OR (KPTV) -
A day at the pool turned toxic Saturday sending 10 children to area hospitals after a gas leak caused the young swimmers to become ill.
The problem was caused by a chemical leak from a pipe located near a children's pool at Club Sport in Tualatin, according to Brian Barker, communications officer for Tualatin Fire & Rescue.
Barker said several children who breathed in the fumes had trouble breathing and were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses told KPTV the children were coughing and throwing up when managers evacuated the pool and called paramedics around 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
All 10 of the children taken by paramedics were between the ages of 4 and 8 and were struggling to breathe when ambulances arrived, according to Barker.
A preliminary investigation indicates a chemical was released from a pipe in the children's play area. Club Sport employees told firefighters on the scene it is normal for that pipe to release gas but this is the first time it had sickened people.
General Manager Jarod Cogswell rushed to the gym when he found out what happened. He said the pool has been operating the same way for the past 12 years and he's never had a problem.
"Safety is paramount for all of us using the pool and operating the pool and my main concern right now is reaching out to the families and the children involved in today's occurrence," Cogswell said.
Dozens of families were playing in the water when several kids became ill. Witnesses said lifeguards were quick to react.
"There was a bunch of people coughing and three people barfing and they were blowing whistles and everybody (had to) get out of the pool," said one 7-year-old at the scene.
All 10 children are expected to recover.
As of Saturday evening the pool remained closed with plans to reopen parts after an inspection Sunday morning. Cogswell said he would not reopen the kid's play pool until investigators determine what caused the children to become ill.
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