Hurricane Harbor Splashtown shut down following a chemical leak affecting over 60 attendees, officials say
SPRING, Texas - What was supposed to be a fun Saturday at a Splashtown in Spring turned south for some residents after a reported chemical leak affected more than 60 attendees.
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Details are limited as it's an active situation, so It's unclear what caused the leak, as of this writing. However, officials with the Spring Fire Department as well as Harris County responded to the incident at Hurricane Harbor Splashtown on I-45.
During a press conference with several Harris County officials, a total of 26 people were hospitalized and 39 refused to be taken to the hospital after they went through the decontamination process.
Some attendees were experiencing minor skin irritation and inhalation irritation, authorities said, but are working to look into the chemicals involved.
Memorial Hermann also said in a statement it received 21 patients at the Texas Medical Center location and seven at the Woodlands Medical Center. As of Sunday, Memorial Hermann confirmed 28 patients were discharged in good condition."
A spokesperson for Six Flags issued the following statement to FOX 26 Saturday saying the park would be closed for the rest of the day "out of an abundance of caution."
"At approximately 2:30 this afternoon, a small number of guests in a section of the park reported feeling ill with respiratory irritation. The safety of our guests and team member is always our highest priority and the park was immediately cleared as we try to determine a cause. Out of an abundance of caution, the park has been closed for the day."
On Sunday, Six Flags officials released a second statement saying the water park will be closed Monday, July 18th as well to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure safety for other attendees.
The waterpark will be closed Sunday, July 18 and Monday, July 19 to permit a thorough investigation into yesterday’s incident. Preliminary findings indicate there was a vapor release in a small outdoor section of the park that quickly dissipated. We are working hand in hand with Harris County Public Health officials, along with third party industry experts, to determine a cause, and we will reopen when we are confident it is safe to do so. It is our understanding that all impacted guests and team members have been released and are back home. The safety of our guests and employees is always our top priority.
FOX 26 Houston will continue to monitor and update this story as more information becomes available.