Chaos ensued at a Mission Valley YMCA Thursday evening when a chemical mishap in the pool area led to 13 people, including 11 children, feeling ill and being sent to local hospitals. According to NBC San Diego, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a chemical leak at the facility located on Friars Road.
The incident, which occurred around 6 p.m., saw youngsters coughing and struggling with breathing after being exposed to a chemical agent. Although the injuries were deemed minor, the urgency was palpable as emergency crews swiftly evacuated the pool area while the rest of the YMCA continued to operate amidst the flurry of activity. "It sounds like it was just more of a mild irritation, some coughing, mild shortness of breath," SDFD Battalion Chief Juan Flores said in a statement obtained by NBC San Diego.
Updates from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's X page confirmed that all affected individuals were transported to local hospitals. Initial reports listed two patients transported by 6:50 p.m., with that number rising to six by 7 p.m. Eventually, all patients were evaluated for what were categorized as "minor" injuries.
12 kids & one adult being evaluated after patients in the pool of the YMCA on Friars Rd felt ill. All patients categorized as "minor" as far as injury level. Two patients transported to hospital as of 6:50pm. pic.twitter.com/EnS5uv5rdZ
— SDFD (@SDFD) December 22, 2023
Investigative teams, including the county's Hazmat Unit and Department of Environmental Health, are digging into the cause of the leak. SDFD noted that maintenance work on the pool possibly precipitated the spill. "There is no active release now," Flores assured, "We've done atmospheric monitoring, water monitoring, and monitoring of the equipment area," according to an NBC San Diego interview. The investigation into this unexpected incident remains ongoing.
