SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Eleven children and two adults were treated by medical crews following an apparent hazmat incident at a YMCA in Mission Valley on Thursday evening.
The San Diego Police Department, who was helping the fire department, said there was a hazmat issue reported at the YMCA at the 5500 block of Friars Road.
“It’s a pretty harrowing experience for all the parents. We’re pretty shook up about it,” Will Butcher, a parent, said.
People at the YMCA were having "difficulty breathing," according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. All the patients were awake and breathing.
“There was an incident where, I guess, when they were backwashing, and it looked like some of the hydrochloric gas may have come up. And, as a result, a lot of the kids breathed it in and nose burning, burning lungs,” Butcher said.
SDFD said crews on the scene investigated the air quality and checked to see if there was a problem with the YMCA's chlorine system.
“Initial reports are there was routine maintenance being performed on the pool area and it sounds like there may have been a potential chlorine or some type of chemical release through normal pool maintenance operations,” SDFD Battalion Chief Juan Flores said.
Flores said that the 13 patients were taken to the hospital out of precaution, and from his understanding, many of the symptoms had cleared up.
“Oh, any parent when they see their kids in duress, they’re going to be worried and concerned,” Butcher said. “It’s a very familial group — the kids on the swim team — so all of the parents were collectively worried about not only their children, but the other children affected.”
Flores told ABC 10News their crews and members of the Department of Environmental Health and County Hazmat unit were working to investigate the cause of the incident while working the YMCA on scene.
In a statement sent to ABC 10News Friday morning, officials said:
“At the YMCA of San Diego County, our top priority is the safety and well-being of our community, particularly the children. We express our sincere concern for the incident that occurred at our Mission Valley YMCA outdoor pool on December 21, 2023.
We are in direct communication with the families affected and grateful to report that most are recovering at home and all are showing improvement, and steadily progressing toward recovery.
We are actively working with local authorities to support their ongoing investigation to understand the cause of the incident. We value the trust of our community and are committed to taking all necessary steps to reinforce our safety practices for the benefit of San Diego County residents.”
YMCA officials said the Mission Valley branch is open Friday as normal, but the swimming pools are closed.
