logo
    • News
    • Classifieds
    • Free Subscription
    • Book Store
    • Submit
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Submit an Educational Announcement
      • Submit a letter to The Editor
    • Past Issues
    • Regional Trade Shows
    • Contact
    • News
    • Classifieds
    • Free Subscription
    • Book Store
    • Submit
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Submit an Educational Announcement
      • Submit a letter to The Editor
    • Past Issues
    • Regional Trade Shows
    • Contact
Pool owners mix chems, explosions erupt
News
July 31, 2020
Pool owners mix chems, explosions erupt

In the months since Covid-19 sent children home from school and parents home from work, there has been a surge in swimming pool sales and with it, a surge of inexperienced pool owners.

Because more people are spending time at home, Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey wants to remind pool owners to make sure they store and handle their chemicals properly.

This year, local Massachusetts fire departments and hazardous materials teams have responded to several emergencies involving pool chemicals.

“Pool chemicals can be dangerous when they become wet or are mixed with other chemicals. Make sure all chemicals are stored in a secure and dry area, and carefully follow all manufacturer’s instructions when using them,” Ostroskey said.

In June, the Whitman Fire Department responded to an explosion after a new pool owner mixed two different brands of pool shock in a bucket. He was sent to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The 29-year-old man’s girlfriend Megan Hennessey said he mixed a bag that was left over from the previous residents with a new bag of chemicals.

“When he mixed it in the bucket it was fine but when he dumped all the water out after putting it in the pool, it started to smoke and bubble,” Hennessey said.

Moments later, what was left in the bucket exploded.

“When he stepped back, it had one large explosion which blew the bucket in the air and once it hit the ground it had three more smaller explosions,” she said.

The man was taken to the hospital to be looked over. He experienced some hearing loss due to his proximity to the explosion though he is regaining it.

Neighbors said they heard the boom from a half a block away.

In July, the West Bridgewater Fire Department responded to a residence for a person suffering from inhalation injuries, from mixing pool chemicals. A tier 1 hazmat response was requested.

The District 1 hazmat team arrived on scene to assist. The patient was taken to the hospital and treated. No other details were reported.

Also, in July, multiple agencies responded to a hazmat incident at an Agawam Residence.

The Agawam Fire Department said firefighters, police, and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services (DFS) Hazardous Materials Response Team all responded to some sort of pool chemical accident.

Fire Chief Alan Sirois said two people were taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.

“Pool chemicals can be especially hazardous, they can cause caustic burns if they are mixed with water or come in contact with your skin. We always recommend that individuals working with pool chemicals or any type of chemicals follow the manufacturer’s instructions when they are working with those chemicals for their safety,” said Chief Sirois.

DFS spokesperson Jennifer Mieth said that a lot of people are new pool owners this year.

Since the stay at home orders began, the number of pool chemical related injuries in the U.S. has not been tallied. However, in Canada, the IWK Regional Poison Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia has reported a significant increase in calls for chlorine chemical exposure this June (17) compared to last June (six).

Laurie Mosher, clinical leader at the IWK Regional Poison Centre, said the Centre presumes the numbers are so much higher because people have purchased pools or hot tubs at a higher rate than normal due to Covid-19.

She said that people can get a blast of chlorine gas when they open containers too close to their face.

“When they are heated up and you open them close to your face, you get a blast of chlorine gas. Which is six times more toxic than bleach and it overcomes you, and you get very significant symptoms. Difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing,” Mosher said.

Pool chemical incidents are higher; new pool owners should be made aware of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines for safe handling and storage of pool chemicals.

Better yet, call in the pool professionals who know what they are doing.

LATEST NEWS
KC Hot Tub Repair in the news
News
KC Hot Tub Repair in the news
March 14, 2023
Rick Harvey, and his company KC Hot Tub Repair, is giving the pool service industry a bad name. The Kansas City business owner seems to have one real ...
this is a test
73 complaints for Florida’s Legacy Pools
News
73 complaints for Florida’s Legacy Pools
March 14, 2023
Patrick Lee, a homeowner in Cocoa Beach, Florida, said he paid $92,276 to Legacy Pools for a new swimming pool that was never completed. He made the p...
this is a test
Colorado swim team needs a lap pool
News
Colorado swim team needs a lap pool
March 14, 2023
The high school swim team in Steamboat Springs, about 150 miles northwest of Denver, is hoping that someone can donate them a lap pool. That’s because...
this is a test
CPSA Alert: Calif. legislative session begins
News
CPSA Alert: Calif. legislative session begins
March 14, 2023
California’s new 2023-‘24 legislative session is underway. About 300 bills have been introduced thus far, with another 2,000 expected by the February ...
this is a test
Concrete forming systems for building  swimming pools
News
Concrete forming systems for building swimming pools
March 14, 2023
By Frank Wall The surge in demand for pools and the resulting shortage of materials has led many builders to re-evaluate how they build their pools to...
this is a test
News
‘NOT ON MY WATCH’
Drowning matters every day, not just every May
March 14, 2023
Drowning injuries and fatalities are so commonplace that the stories could fill up whole newspapers. The CDC estimates that about 10 people die from d...
this is a test
Read Our Newsletter
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Free Subscription
View Current Print Ads
Educational Announcements
Aquatic Training Institute

Educational Leverage

Foundation For Pool Industry Education

Locey Pool

Pool Chemistry Training Institute

Pool & Hot Tub Alliance

Portofino University

Underwater Pool Masters
Trade Show Dates
  • The Pool and Spa Show
    Jan. 24-26, Atlantic City, New Jersey
  • 34th Annual National Plasterers Conference
    Feb. 8-10, Coronado, California
  • The Southwest Pool and Spa Show
    Feb. 9-11, Houston, Texas
  • The Western Pool and Spa Show
    Mar. 23-25, Long Beach, California
Books to Order
About Us Terms of Use Privacy Policy
We use cookies to ensure that our website gives you the best experience possible. By continuing to use this website, you agree to this use of cookies.OK