Friday, June 22, 2012

Procedures are being revised at a public swimming pool in Topeka after a cloud of chlorine sent eight swimmers to hospitals. All were treated and released.

The incident happened at Blaisdell Pool in Gage Park while the Topeka Swimming Association was holding practice Thursday morning.

Fifteen-year-old John Schmidt says he saw what looked like a volcano swirling toward him from jets under the water. A bubble of chlorine hit him in the face, making it impossible to breathe, before the chemical created a haze above the surface.

An official says overnight storms shut off power to the pool. The chlorine bubble occurred when a staff member turned the pumps
back on.

Officials say the pumps will no longer be restarted when people are in the pool.