A family was rushed to hospital with breathing difficulties after coral in a fish tank emitted a dangerous toxic gas leak after it was trimmed.
Mike Nguyen returned to his home in Wren Road, Dagenham, last Saturday evening (August 11) to find his children barely responsive, The Sun reported.
He quickly called for help, and he and six family members were taken to hospital, while around 10 homes were cordoned off as part of a large emergency response.
It has since emerged Mr Nguyen had unwittingly released palytoxin - a potentially deadly poison - by cutting back coral growing in a fish tank at his home.
Palytoxin, also known is PTX, is a toxic substance found in certain corals that is generally emitted when a coral feels under threat, from excessive heat or light. It can be fatal to humans, and contact can lead to symptoms including flu-like symptoms, shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness and vomiting.
Mr Nguyen told The Sun: “I couldn’t believe what happened, it was surreal.
“I came home to my family in a bad way.”
He said the issues began when he noticed a water leak coming from his fish tank, which had left coral exposed, above the water line.
Mr Nguyen says he was advised to cut the coral down to below the water level, to prevent it from emitting palytoxin.
“I did that straight away and knocked off the rock with a hammer and chisel so the coral would be underneath the water,” he said.
“My nose started running. I was sneezing and coughing at the same time.
“I didn’t know it was poison,” he added. “I was sneezing and later on I had dizziness but, to be honest, I thought it was Covid.”
But Mr Nguyen later returned home to find his wife, four teenage children, and his sister suffering from high temperatures.
“They were all lying on the couches sleeping,” he told The Sun.
“I could barely make it up the stairs, so I called for a doctor. I was still sneezing and coughing as well.”
Police, paramedics, firefighters, and a specialist Hazardous Area Response Team dispatched by London Ambulance Service (LAS) were scrambled to the scene around 10pm on August 11.
“Seven people were treated at the scene and taken to hospital after being exposed to a chemical substance,” said a Met police spokesperson. “They sustained minor respiratory issues.
“Officers assisted with road closures at the scene. These were reopened shortly before 12pm.”
Around 10 houses were reportedly cordoned off in the incident.
LAS confirmed seven people were treated and taken to hospital.
Mr Nguyen, his wife and children were discharged from Queen’s Hospital in Romford the following day, The Sun reported, while his sister was kept in for three more days.
