Seven people were injured July 16 after a chemical release during a delivery to an indoor swimming pool at LA Fitness in North Brunswick, New Jersey, prompting a hazmat response and evacuation of the facility while authorities investigated the case.

Emergency crews responded to the fitness center on Milltown Road at about 7 a.m. after 911 callers reported a strong chlorine odor inside the building. According to the North Brunswick Fire Department, firefighters arriving at the scene detected the odor and evacuated the building before sending personnel wearing full protective gear inside to ensure all occupants had exited safely.

Fire officials said a tanker truck was delivering pool chemicals when the incident occurred. The truck driver was among the seven people injured. Four people were transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital after reporting respiratory symptoms associated with the chemical exposure, while others were treated at the scene. Authorities said none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.

Police initially described the incident as involving chlorine, but investigators later said the release may have involved a mixture of chemicals. Officials have not identified the chemical involved or explained exactly how the release occurred.

The truck was operated by Miracle Chemical Company of Farmingdale, New Jersey. Publicly available information has not identified whether the release originated from the delivery vehicle, transfer equipment, or the facility's pool chemical system.

The Middlesex County Hazardous Materials Team responded to assist North Brunswick police and fire personnel. Nearby businesses in the shopping center, including Lidl and Dollar Tree, were asked to avoid the immediate area while crews ventilated the building and cleaned up the spill. Officials said the incident remained localized, and no broader evacuations or road closures were ordered.

Later the same day, firefighters said the building was being aired out while maintenance personnel worked to determine when the indoor pool could safely reopen. At press time, authorities had not released findings explaining the cause of the incident. Investigators have not publicly identified the chemical involved, the quantity released, whether incompatible chemicals were mixed during the delivery process, or whether the release resulted from equipment failure or another cause. No findings from any workplace safety or environmental investigation had been released publicly.