Hazmat incident wrap up: Crystal Pool chlorine gas release sends 8 to hospital
Just before noon on Friday, news began to break that eight people had been taken to hospital because of a chlorine gas leak at the aging Crystal Pool in Victoria, B.C.
CBC reporters and photographers were quickly on the scene to get the story.
We’re now wrapping the live story page for today.
In summary, the eight hospitalized individuals suffered what Victoria Fire Chief Dan Atkinson described as “minor” to “significant” respiratory distress after being exposed to chlorine gas that resulted from the combination of two chemicals.
The hospitalized victims were all listed in stable condition, according to B.C. Emergency Health Services. Another two people were evaluated at the scene but did not go to hospital.
In an abundance of caution, emergency rooms at Royal Jubilee Hospital and Victoria General Hospital were temporarily cleared to prepare for the arrival of patients, with additional staff on stand-by.
The area surrounding Crystal Pool was closed off for about two hours and a shelter-in-place alert issued to those living in close proximity.
Hazmat team members donned heavy protective suits with built-in breathing apparatus before entering the building to clear the air and isolate the problem.
By 3:30 p.m. PT the shelter-in-place alert was lifted and an all-clear announcement made.
CBC will continue to follow this story as it develops.
