By Dan Abendschein
Pasadena Star-News
PASADENA, Calif. — Too much chlorine in the pool at Arcadia County Park sent 17 people, mostly children, to hospitals Monday and prompted a local supervisor to call for safety checks at all county pools.
None of the victims were seriously hurt in the 11:20 a.m. incident, which happened during the pool’s regular free swim session. They were taken to Methodist Hospital in Arcadia and Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, officials said.
Most reported experiencing trouble breathing and feeling eye pain, said Beth Stogner, a spokeswoman for the Arcadia Fire Department.
As of Monday afternoon, 14 of the 17 had been released from the hospital, but three were still being kept under observation, Stogner said.
Dozens of other swimmers were evacuated from the Norman Johnson Aquatic Center on Santa Anita Avenue. Officials closed the pool for the remainder of the day as hazardous material experts from the county and neighboring cities investigated.
An excess of chlorine was the likely cause of the symptoms, Stogner said.
Supervisor Michael Antonovich, in an e-mail, said he’ll seek a resolution directing the departments of parks and recreation and public health to check the safety of all pools operated by the county.
Stogner said the children at the Arcadia pool remained calm while they were being evacuated. None of their injuries are permanent, she added.
“I didn’t see any tears or unhappy faces,” she said.
Imee Perius, a spokeswoman for county parks and recreation, said her department will investigate what cause the accident, taking into account the findings of the county’s haz-mat team.
Perius said she did not know when the pool will reopen. Stogner said the pool would likely be closed Tuesday.
Stogner said she wasn’t aware of similar problems at the facility.
“I’ve never seen it in the 20 years I’ve been at the department,” Stogner said.
Copyright 2010 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Los Angeles Newspaper Group, Inc.