Dozens injured by Thai hotel pool chlorine leak

Tourists sit on the edge a swimming pool at the Phuket Orchid Resort and Spa hotel on Karon beach on the Thai resort island of Phuket on February 18, 2012 after more than 30 people were rushed to hospital earlier in the day after a chlorine leak at one of the hotel's swimming pool. AFP PHOTO

BANGKOK – More than 30 people, many of them foreign tourists, were rushed to hospital Saturday on the Thai resort island of Phuket after a chlorine leak at a hotel swimming pool, local officials said.

The accident occurred shortly after 10:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) at the Phuket Orchid Resort and Spa hotel on Karon beach, according to chief investigator Lieutenant Colonel Chavalit Pethsripia.

He said more than 30 people suffered minor injuries after they were exposed to an unhealthily high level of chlorine in the pool.

The leak caused skin irritation and sore eyes, according to director Phumin Silapan at the local Patong hospital.

“There are 37 people hospitalized, including 26 foreigners,” he told Agence France-Presse, adding that 12 had already been discharged while 25 were referred to a larger hospital.

One of those referred was a pregnant tourist who had breathing difficulties after inhaling the chemical, he said.

Among those that went to hospital were 10 Norwegian and nine Swedish nationals, with five Swedes still in hospital, one of them in a serious condition, Sweden’s foreign ministry said.

The Norwegian foreign ministry said all of its nationals had left or were in the process of leaving hospital.