Five people were transported to the hospital following an accidental chemical release at a water park in Frankenmuth, Michigan, about 100 miles north of Detroit.

The accidental chemical release occurred at the Zehnder's Splash Village and sickened 11 total people, including one staff member and multiple visitors.

First responders were called to the scene at about 11:20 a.m. March 4 and found five people in the lobby who complained of difficulty breathing. Frankenmuth Fire Chief Phillip Kerns said the victims had symptoms related to upper respiratory issues, such as coughing and shortness of breath.

None of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.

He said the problem involved the water park’s chemical feeding system. The chlorine leak occurred on the Tantrum Twist Family Raft Ride.

“It sounds like it’s chlorine released through a feeding system, and there was some type of malfunction in that feeding system that caused it not to be released slowly but may have dispersed it quicker than normal,” Kerns said.

David Niemi was visiting the indoor water park that day with his family where they were celebrating his son’s birthday.

The family was in the pool playing volleyball when the chemicals were released.

Niemi’s daughter and son were among those affected.

“Throats started burning, our nose start burning, she started coughing really bad … My son said he had trouble breathing,” Niemi said. “Especially seeing my daughter, she's coughing, can't breathe, my son was hunched over and can't breathe and all that, it’s a little freaky seeing that as a dad.”

The family quickly got out of the water and opened a door to get some fresh air.

Several ambulances arrived at the scene to transport the victims to the hospital. While 11 total people were affected, five were taken to the hospital; four remained for additional evaluation and treatment. The remaining six declined treatment.

The Saginaw County Hazmat Team responded to the waterpark, and the roof for that portion of the pool area was opened to disperse the chemicals.

“Staff personnel immediately began natural ventilation of the 30,000-square-foot area and flushed the pools to ensure the proper concentration of pool treatment chemicals for public use,” the facility posted on its Facebook page. Public safety teams remained onsite until the proper concentration was verified.

Emergency crews cleared the scene at 3:15 p.m. that day.