UPDATE:
The popular Peanut Pool has re-opened following a hazmat situation Friday morning.
“Earlier this morning, while staff were conducting routine maintenance at Lakeview Pool, the wrong product was inadvertently added to a container in the mechanical room and chlorine gas was released,” the City of Vernon states in a release. “Staff immediately followed proper safety procedures and cleared the pool of visitors.
“The fire department was called to the pool to assess the situation and temporarily closed the park for safety precautions. Senior aquatic staff were called to the site to oversee the facility and with the assistance of the fire department were able to dilute the chlorine mixture.”
The pool chemistry has now been rebalanced and the park has been re-opened and the pool re-opened at 3 p.m. this afternoon.
“The staff involved were wearing the required personal protective equipment and were taken to the hospital as a precaution and have since been discharged,” the city continues.
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Shortly after 10 a.m. Friday, a chemical reaction causing chlorine gas resulted in the evacuation and closure of the popular Peanut Pool at Vernon’s Lakeview Park for the day.
“A couple of employees from the pool had mixed some chemicals together…which, the reaction created chlorine gas,” said Capt. Colin Clarke with Vernon Fire Rescue Services. “We had accumulations of chlorine gas in the room where the pump is. We checked the room for gas concentrations. Didn’t find any so we removed the hazardous mixture from the pump room and dispersed it into the pool where it was safely disposed of.
“Staff will be able to adjust the chemical levels in the pool.”
There were about 50 people attending the popular attraction when the incident happened. Clarke said pool staff did a great job getting everybody out safely.
Pool staff were looked at by ambulance personnel as Vernon Fire Rescue Services helped clean up the site.
Normal chlorine levels are being restored in the pool and the popular facility should reopen Saturday.
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