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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Nadeem Badshah

Eleven people taken to hospital after reports of chlorine leak at London pool

Wide shot of indoor public swimming pool with a few people in it
Vale Farm sports centre in Wembley, London, was evacuated. Photograph: Everyone Active

Eleven people including nine children have been taken to hospital after reports of a chlorine leak at a swimming pool in London, emergency services said.

Two adults were also admitted to hospital after the incident at the Everyone Active sports centre in Wembley.

Police said the leisure centre had been evacuated as a precaution and road closures were in place.

The London ambulance service said on Thursday: “We were called at 1.34pm today to reports of a chlorine leak on Watford Road, Wembley. We sent a number of resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, incident response officers and members of our hazardous area response team.

“We treated nine children and two adults at the scene before taking them all to hospital.”

The Metropolitan police said: “Police were called at 13.40hrs on Thursday 29 August to reports of a chlorine leak at a pool in Watford Road, Wembley. Officers, the London ambulance service and the London fire brigade are in attendance.”

The leak was found in the learner pool on the ground floor of the three-storey building and firefighters operated for about two hours, the London fire brigade said.

It added: “Crews carried out a sweep of the property, where a chlorine leak was found in a learner pool on the ground floor of the three-storey building. Firefighters ventilated the area and monitored the levels of fumes until there were no elevated readings.

“Around 150 people left the building before the arrival of the brigade. The brigade was called at 1.42pm and the incident was over for firefighters by 3.43pm. Two fire engines, two fire rescue units and around 20 firefighters from Northolt, Wembley and Euston fire stations attended the scene.”

A statement on Vale Farm sports centre’s website said the pool “remains closed until further notice”.

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