About a dozen Alberta children were rushed to hospital on Sunday, after many of them suddenly fell ill following a swim at a hotel pool in the town of Canmore, Alta., located about 100 km west of Calgary.
Many of them were visiting the mountain town to take part in a weekend minor hockey tournament.
A spokesperson for Emergency Health Services says paramedics, including multiple ambulances, responded to the Canmore Inn and Suites at around 11 a.m. on Sunday, prompting health officials to declare a “mass casualty incident.”
The town of Canmore said when emergency crews arrived, there were approximately 30 children in the pool area of the hotel who were experiencing symptoms of illness, such as vomiting.
The area was evacuated and a triage centre set up near the hotel lobby, where paramedics treated the children.
The mass casualty incident was cancelled, but 10 children were sent to the hospital in Canmore for further treatment, while one was taken to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary.
Jennifer Stevenson and her son Oliver were among those staying at the hotel for the tournament.
“We had had breakfast, went down to the pool to get our last dip in before we checked out and go to the last game and it was busy, there was lots of teams there doing the same thing,” said Stevenson.
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“It was just a normal pool day and all of a sudden Oliver came to me and said he was coughing, the hot tub was making him cough. All of a sudden all the other kids were coughing too. Most of them were throwing up and we just got out of there.
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“I took him up to our room and showered him off. He was just coughing uncontrollably. He couldn’t stop.”
Stevenson, whose son was among those who needed treatment at the Canmore hospital, described the experience as “terrifying.”
“They had to be on oxygen for at least an hour, monitored. Oliver was hooked up to the EKG unit, to monitor his heart rate and his oxygen levels and his breathing,” said Stevenson.
“We got the good news eventually that when his blood tests came back that the pH was normal and he was able to go home.”
The town of Canmore said initial air monitoring by firefighters detected an elevated level of a hazardous substance that was suspected to be chlorine, based on the location and symptoms exhibited by the affected children.
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, chlorine is a common chemical used in disinfectants and santizers used to control the growth of algae and bacteria or maintain the pH levels of water in pools and hot tubs.
However, it can also be highly corrosive, causing irritation to people’s skin, eyes and the respiratory system.
The town of Canmore says testing by emergency crews identified the building’s mechanical room as the source of the chemical, which was then cordoned off and ventilated into an area outside the building.
After that was done, the town said an independent contractor was called in by the operators of the hotel to verify there was no further immediate danger.
Reacting to a inquiry from Global News, a spokesperson for the Canmore Eagles Minor Hockey Association provided a written statement that said: “Our hearts are with the children and families affected by the incident.”
“A number of those impacted were in town to take part in our U7 tournament, and we know this was meant to be a fun and memorable weekend,” the statement continued.
“We hope all thos affected make a full and speedy recovery. We extend our sincere gratitude to the emergency responders and healthcare teams for their swift and professional efforts.”
The town of Canmore says the hotel and the RCMP are now working together to determine the next steps.
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