United States: Three people were taken to a hospital after an incident possibly involving chemicals in a North Carolina pool in Asheville, as per the sources.
At about 1:40 p.m. on Saturday, the Asheville Department responded to a “Possible hazardous materials incident” at a pool at the Asheville Racquet Club on Resort Drive in Asheville, North Carolina.
The fire department shared the information that the people reported having “difficulty breathing and difficulty speaking between breaths.”
Moreover, eight people were impacted, and one adult and two children were taken to a hospital for additional evaluation.
The first department was not able to confirm about the cause of the reaction, and the department stated that they believed the reaction might be related to muriatic acid, also known as hydrochloric acid and chlorine.
As per the information shared by CDC, chlorine is a chemical commonly used to kill germs in the water.
Muriatic acid, similarly, is “a component of commercial chemicals used to clean and disinfect swimming pools.“
In spite of their common usage in pools, both chemicals can be dangerous if inhaled as well as the quantity of these chemicals in pools is usually carefully monitored.
“Hydrogen chloride vapour is heavier than air and may cause asphyxiation in enclosed, poorly ventilated, or low-lying areas,” the CDC highlighted. Inhalation of hydrogen chloride can lead to pulmonary edema, and ingestion can cause severe injury to the mouth, throat, esophagus and stomach.
The CDC says symptoms of chlorine exposure include blurred vision, coughing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, a burning sensation inside the nose, throat as well as eyes, and burning pain, redness and blisters on the skin.
