Dozens of people were sent to the hospital after being sickened by a chemical leak at a Texas water park.
Around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday a life guard and several children began feeling sick in a children’s pool at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Splashtown in Spring, Texas.
Dozens of people were sent to the hospital after being sickened by a chemical leak at a Texas water park.
Around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday a life guard and several children began feeling sick in a children’s pool at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Splashtown in Spring, Texas.
Children and their parents eventually began experiencing “respiratory issues,” and 28 of them were transported to hospitals.
Investigators later tested the air and water and found the water had a chemical combination of 35 percent sulfuric acid and 10-13 percent bleach, Scott Seifert, chief of Spring Texas Fire, told the ABC affiliate.
Over 65 people suffered contamination, however no one suffered any chemical burns, according to the fire marshall’s office.
ABC reported that the most serious case involved a 3-year-old child. The child was stable as of Sunday.
The park released a statement saying "there was a vapor release in a small outdoor section of the park that quickly dissipated."
Jeff Filicko, a Six Flags spokesman, said Hurricane Harbor Splashtown will be closed for at least two days to investigate the incident.
"We are working hand in hand with Harris County Public Health officials, along with third party industry experts, to determine a cause, and we will reopen when we are confident it is safe to do so," he said in a statement.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo told reporters that Six Flags is supposed to have monitors in place to alert operators if the pH level changes. She said the city will make sure this doesn’t happen again.
"If you can have 60-plus people get sick, and your system doesn't catch it ... then clearly something is wrong with the system," she said.
