Eight people were taken to hospital in Victoria after a chemical reaction released a cloud of toxic chlorine gas inside a city-owned recreation centre. Emergency crews responded Friday afternoon to the Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre, where Victoria Fire Chief Dan Atkinson said several people had already exited the building and were “experiencing varying levels of upper respiratory discomfort.” “We isolated the area, did an assessment, and quickly determined that this was beyond the scope of regular fire response,” Atkinson said. The area was evacuated while the Capital Regional District hazardous materials team was dispatched to ventilate the building. While the exact cause remains under investigation, Atkinson said two chemicals were inadvertently mixed, producing “what we believe to be a high concentration of chlorine gas” that spread throughout the pool facility. Emergency departments cleared The City of Victoria and the local health authority confirmed that eight people were transported to hospital for treatment. The Island Health authority said the emergency departments at the Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals were temporarily cleared to prepare for the arrival of multiple patients from the pool incident. “Additional staff and medical staff temporarily helped the emergency departments and suitable patients in the emergency departments were rapidly transferred to other areas of each hospital for care,” the health authority said in a statement. “This allows care teams to properly decontaminate and care for chemical exposure patients.” Island Health would not confirm the severity of the injuries sustained in the incident, citing patient privacy concerns. Residents shelter in place Authorities urged residents near Crystal Pool to shelter in place for several hours, advising them to keep windows closed, avoid using air conditioning, and remain indoors while the building was ventilated. A note on the city’s parks and recreation website indicates the facility will reopen on April 14. Crystal Pool was the subject of a referendum last year as a majority of respondents voted in favour of replacing the 55-year-old facility. The rec centre has the only public aquatic facility in Victoria and staff have warned for years that it is in need of major repairs. The pool averages approximately 1,250 visitors daily, according to the city.
