Chlorine Leak in Lazy River at Memorial Area Club Sends 7 Children and 3 Adults to the Hospital, Says HFD: Hazmat Incident in the United States

Eleven people, including seven children, were taken to the hospital after potentially consuming chlorine from a spill at a family sports fitness club in Houston’s Memorial area on Saturday, according to the Houston Fire Department. Firefighters believe that an over-chlorination of the pool caused the incident, which occurred just before 5 p.m. at Club Westside owned by Mattress Mack on Wilcrest Drive. Firefighters quickly assisted club members, and HFD Chief Samuel Peña reported that the spill was under control at about 8:25 p.m. In a tweet, he applauded firefighter crews for their swift response to the incident. 
 
The Houston Fire Department declared the incident an other hazmat incident and stated that the spill impacted nearly a dozen people. Authorities continued to investigate the cause of the chlorine spill, which led to the hospitalization of ten people. Club Westside has not yet made an official statement regarding the incident. 
 
This is not the only recent incident involving hazardous materials in the Houston area. On June 15, a chemical leak occurred at the LyondellBasell chemical plant in Channelview, causing an industrial park to evacuate. According to officials, the leak of two chemicals, acetic acid and methyl acetate, resulted in two contractors sustaining injuries. 
 
Incidents like these pose a considerable risk to both the public and workers in these facilities. Business owners must remain vigilant in ensuring that their premises are adequately maintained, while public safety officials must remain committed to monitoring the risks and ensuring that responders can act swiftly. Ultimately, the goal is to minimize emergencies and prevent any harm to members of the public and workers.