At least 60 tourists were hospitalized with toxic gas poisoning following a pump malfunction at a swimming pool on Spain's Costa del Sol. Additional tourists received medical attention at the unnamed hotel in Benahavis, near Marbella.
A regional government official stated that the incident appeared to stem from a tripped circuit breaker on the pressure pump responsible for injecting chlorine and acid into the pool. This failure caused the chlorine and pH systems to cease functioning, while other gases continued to be released.
Among those affected were children and elderly individuals, including vacationers from the United Kingdom, who were transported to Marbella's Costa del Sol Hospital. The swimming pool has since been sealed off and closed for maintenance reasons, with its reopening status uncertain.
Staff from a public health and clinical laboratory were observed conducting tests at the scene. The firm specializes in water analysis for swimming pools and drinking water, as well as food testing.
This incident echoes a similar event in July 2022, when a chlorine leak at a hotel in Majorca resulted in the poisoning of over 20 people, including children. Holidaymakers in that incident reported symptoms such as vomiting, skin irritation, and itching. Health workers administered oxygen to some affected individuals at the hotel's garden area.
Pool-related poisonings can occur when chlorine concentrations and pH levels are not properly maintained, leading to the formation of toxic substances that can cause eye irritation, respiratory problems, and gastrointestinal disorders.