Seventeen injured in a swimming pool in La Bisbal del Penedès due to a chemical reaction

BarcelonaA reaction caused by the incorrect mixing of chemicals at the municipal swimming pool of La Bisbal del Penedès has left seventeen people injured, four of whom are in serious condition. The rest of the injured are all minor, as reported by the SEM. Initially, the possibility of sending an ES-Alert for the confinement of the population in the face of a toxic cloud was considered, a measure that was ultimately discarded once it was verified that there were no effects outside the swimming pool.

The accidental mayoress, Judit Vidal, detailed to the ACN that the alert was received around two in the afternoon, after a user reported the strong smell of chlorine in the swimming pool. Vidal explained that the company responsible for the management of the swimming pool was immediately contacted, which "confirmed the error". "The person responsible for filling the chlorine tanks made an incorrect mixture", detailed the accidental mayoress.

The facilities were immediately evacuated, where there were between twenty and twenty-five bathers, most of them out of the water, which prevented more serious consequences. No one suffered burns or significant injuries. Some people presented respiratory difficulties and were transferred to hospitals "as a precaution". These are five adults and five minors – seven men and three women. The rest, four men and three women, one of whom is a minor, were discharged at the scene and returned home.

Following the instructions of the Firefighters and the Operational Coordination Centre of Catalonia (Cecat), the City Council issued an alert to the population about the presence of the toxic cloud, recommending closing doors and windows, not going outside except in cases of strict necessity, and not approaching the municipal swimming pool. First, this measure was requested to be adopted for about four hours by residents closest to the swimming pool, but then the recommendation was extended to the entire town of La Bisbal del Penedès, as the wind was displacing the cloud in that direction.

Finally, sending an ES-Alert to confine the entire municipality was ruled out. According to Vidal, Cecat itself considered that it was not necessary because the affected area was concentrated in a very specific zone. The council also informed the population through the municipal social networks and asked anyone with discomfort to contact 112. So far, no other affected person outside the swimming pool has been reported.

Regarding the evolution of the incident, the Firefighters are working on cleaning the tanks and neutralizing the chemical product with a specific compound provided by the management company. The tasks will take approximately two hours. Although the toxic cloud has already dissipated and the smell has practically disappeared, the emergency services have maintained the preventive confinement of the area to facilitate decontamination tasks. The pool is located in a sunken area of the municipality, where there could still be a high concentration of gas. "It is a precautionary measure so that the emergency teams can work with peace of mind," pointed out Judit Vidal.

This is the first time an incident of this nature has occurred at the swimming pool in La Bisbal del Penedès. The City Council expects the responsible company to take the appropriate measures after the error that originated the incident.