Woman fears for her life after coming in contact with chlorine at spa
A woman said she feared for her life after being exposed to excess chlorine at a swimming pool and spa in Derbyshire.
On 7 January, Enid Hollingworth decided to go swimming at the Clifford Health Club and Spa in Regent Street, Long Eaton, when she suddenly became unable to breathe and felt a “burning in her lungs”.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said 27 people, including Mrs Hollingsworth, had been exposed and 10 were showing symptoms, but none of them were serious.
two other women, who also ended up in the hospitalspoke to the BBC and criticized the staff over the way they handled the incident.
Fire service group manager David Diggins told the BBC that there was a “mixture of chemicals within the system” of the pool which had filled up.
During her swim, Mrs Hollingsworth, from Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, said she smelled toxic fumes coming from the side of the pool and was “immediately coughing” and struggling to breathe.
‘No one helped me’
After shouting for help, an elderly man managed to help her out of the pool, Mrs Hollingsworth said, while the lifeguard was “saying no and doing nothing”.
The 71-year-old woman said she received help at the reception only to find herself “coughing and choking”, questioning why she was not given support.
“When the paramedic arrived, I was put on oxygen for about two hours before being taken to hospital overnight and discharged the next day,” Mrs Hollingsworth said.
The venue said the pool and spa reopened about four hours later.
Mrs Hollingsworth said the help from spa staff was “grossly inadequate to the emergency”.
“The whole thing was just a nightmare. Nobody helped me,” he said.
“I’m angry, upset and emotional about this whole thing. I thought I was going to die.”
Two other women, who say they were in the pool at the same time as Mrs Hollingsworth, wanted to give their accounts of what happened anonymously.
They say he was taken to the hospital, where he stayed overnight.
One of them said she suddenly realized she couldn’t breathe and knew she had to get out of the pool immediately.
“I went to reception and told them I needed an ambulance,” she said.
Another woman says that she is coughing even after several days.
She said: “When Enid started coughing I was immediately behind her. The staff didn’t help at all. It was a member of the public who shouted at them to clean the pool.”
Both women say they are now considering legal action.
investigation started
Mrs Hollingsworth, who says she had no problems breathing before last week, is now waiting to find out if she has suffered permanent lung damage.
“I’ve since been back to the GP because it still hurts to breathe and they’ve found cracks in my lungs,” Mrs Hollingsworth said.
“The respiratory therapist said there may be some long-term damage but it’s a matter of waiting seven to 14 days and hopefully it should be gone by then.”
On 8 January, Erewash Borough Council Confirmed that it has launched An investigation of exposure.
In a statement, Clifford Health Club and Spa Said It was able to reopen “with confidence and certainty that we are safe”.
“Our health and safety managers and external pool plant consultants have double-checked all our systems and staff to the best of their ability,” a spokesperson said.
“External relevant contractors and consultants have asked us to reopen as the very rare issue that caused the incident has been resolved.”
In response to the claims made by Mrs Hollingsworth and other women, the business said it had “nothing further to add”.