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Swimmers Overcome By Chlorine Fumes At Hotel

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Jan 21, 2008 4:54 pm US/Central

Swimmers Overcome By Chlorine Fumes At Hotel

Ambulances Take 20 From Suburban Waterpark To Hospitals

ELMHURST, Ill (CBS) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: A woman and children were carried out of the Holiday Inn in Elmhurst on a stretcher after overexposure to chlorine there.
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A day at the pool ended in a trip to the hospital for more than a dozen people at a west suburban hotel Monday.

CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, they were overcome by fumes from chlorine at the Holiday Inn and Mayan Adventure Indoor Waterpark in Elmhurst.

The water park is a big attraction for area families. The swimmers say the lifeguards had cleared the pool for a break. When the swimmers re-entered the pool, the children quickly showed signs of overexposure to chlorine.

"People started throwing up, mostly children, people coughing," a parent explained.

Ambulances were called to the scene in the 600 block of North York Road around 1 p.m. Twenty people were rushed to the hospital. Most of the victims were children.

"I saw some kids outside crying because they had facial burns," an eight-year-old witness said.

Parents say the water park was crowded with about 75 children enjoying a day off from school. Some families ran out of the pool area, wearing only their swimsuits and sweatshirts.

One woman said her eyes were irritated. "People were coughing, some people were nauseous, some peoples' eyes were burned, there were people who had some skin abrasions, skin problems from the chlorine," she said.

Lifeguards escorted swimmers to the hallways. The Elmhurst fire chief said chlorine caused all of the injuries. "There were some burns around their eyes and mouth of some of the patients," Chief Mike Kopp said. "It could affect the respiratory system, but we don't think that happened with any of these patients here. We just think the pool maybe got over chlorinated. It was the high concentration of chlorine in the pool."

The 20 injured were taken to five area hospitals. Six had more serious symptoms. The pool has been shut down until the health department can determine it is safe to re-open.

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