20 children, several adults treated after chlorine exposure at indoor Forsyth County pool
Forsyth County firefighters investigate after nearly 2 dozen children were exposed to chlorine at an indoor pool on June 15, 2022. (FOX 5)
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - Almost two dozen children were treated for chemical exposure at an indoor pool in Forsyth County on Wednesday afternoon.
It happened around 4:45 p.m. at the SwimAtlanta facility located at 5059 Post Road in Cumming. Forsyth County firefighters said they responded to the building to find about 20 children and a handful of adults who had fallen ill after exposure to chlorine.
Firefighters said they treated it both as a HAZMAT incident and as a mass casualty incident.
The children were having trouble breathing, had burning in the eyes, and vomiting, officials said.
Four of the children, all under the age of 10, were transported to an area hospital. At least two others were driven there by their parents for further treatment. The rest were treated at the scene.
Swim staff told firefighters that "a large amount of chlorine had been accidentally introduced into one of the pools in a very concentrated and quick manner, thus exposing those in the water to an abnormally high chlorine concentration."
Forsyth County firefighters investigate after nearly 2 dozen children were exposed to chlorine at an indoor pool on June 15, 2022. (FOX 5)
Firefighters said because the pool was inside, the gas became trapped inside the building. It had to be aired out.
Businesses in the same complex were asked to shelter-in-place during the incident, but were not directly impacted.
The Forsyth County Department of Environmental Health will have to give the green light to reopen the facility.
The incident remains under investigation.
SwimAtlanta is a facility that offers swim lessons and hosts several swim teams of various ages and abilities.