Incheon Large Apartment Complex Pool Chemical Leak Accident Injures 18

A chemical leak of chlorine-based cleaning agents occurred in a swimming pool at a large apartment complex in Incheon, resulting in 18 individuals being transported to the hospital.

According to the Incheon Fire Department, at approximately 3:02 PM on the 9th, a sodium hypochlorite leak occurred in the pump room of the swimming pool located in the basement of an apartment in Baekseok-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon.

As a result of the incident, a supplier employee, identified as Person A, and 17 residents using the pool experienced symptoms such as dizziness and were urgently transported to a nearby hospital by paramedics.

Among the victims transported to the hospital, employee A was classified as an emergency patient due to signs of respiratory distress, but it was confirmed that there was no threat to life. The remaining 17 individuals were also reported to have sustained minor injuries.

No threat to life.

Cause of the Accident and the Dangers of the Chemical

The incident occurred when employee A was injecting sodium hypochlorite, the main component of bleach, into a storage tank in the pump room.

During the injection, the hose became dislodged, allowing the chemical to flow into the sewer, which then spread a strong irritant smell to the pool, sauna, and gym located on the same floor.

Sodium hypochlorite is a chlorine-based chemical known for its strong oxidizing and disinfecting properties, primarily used as a bleach or disinfectant.

This substance is particularly known to cause respiratory irritation in enclosed spaces, requiring caution during handling.

Residents' Confusing Evacuation Situation

Due to the incident, apartment residents had to endure a sudden evacuation.

One resident reported to Yonhap News, "I hurriedly evacuated without properly dressing, encountering a harsh smell I had never experienced before in the pool and sauna."

Another resident explained, "I was moving to the sauna after finishing my workout at the fitness center when I saw residents from the pool, sauna, fitness center, and restaurant suddenly running out without properly getting dressed, so I followed them to evacuate."

The apartment where the incident occurred is a large complex consisting of 25 buildings with a total of 4,805 units, combining Blocks 1 and 2.

The apartment management office urgently suspended the use of the swimming pool and sauna facilities located on the same floor as the pump room, considering residents' safety.

Police and fire authorities plan to investigate the specific circumstances and scale of the damage based on statements from apartment officials.

The fire department stated, "The swimming pool and pump room are adjacent, which caused the strong smell to spread and led to the incident," and added, "We are operating a temporary medical station and conducting ventilation work to eliminate the odor."

Image Source: Containers that held liquid chlorine / Incheon Fire Department, Liquid chlorine for pool disinfection being transported in a supplier's vehicle. / Incheon Fire Department, Floor of the pump room where the accident occurred. / Incheon Fire Department