Firefighters responded to a hazardous materials spill in south Fargo Sunday night. The initial dispatch was a medical call for several kids sick from a chlorine spill.
On arrival at a hotel, several people were standing outside. Crews entered the building to assess the situation and protect those still inside from walking into a hazardous area. Other crews began providing patient care with Sanford Ambulance.
There were 8-10 kids with symptoms of chemical exposure that included irritated airways, coughing, nausea, and vomiting. One person was transported with what appeared to be minor injuries from the chemical exposure and the parents of the others decided that transport was not needed once they had been in fresh air long enough.
The hazardous materials team ventilated the building and determined it was no longer hazardous after approximately one and a half hours. The hotel returned to normal operations with the exception of the pool which will be closed until the water can be retested.
The chemical was a combination of acids used to maintain the water quality. Initial information indicates that an employee dropped the container of acid while doing normal pool maintenance. The chemicals quickly mixed with water to create a hazardous chemical cloud that spread throughout the pool area. The exact amount of chemical spilled is unknown but appeared to be less than two gallons.
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