12 to hospital after gym fumes alert
Twelve people, including seven children, were taken to hospital after a chemical spillage at a Staffordshire health and fitness centre.
Around 70 people had to be evacuated from Nuffield Health and Fitness and Wellbeing Centre, in East Cannock Road, Hednesford on Saturday afternoon after fumes affected swimmers.
Two different chemicals had been accidentally mixed together in the plant room that feeds the pool.
Six ambulance crews and four doctors treated 14 people suffering from breathing problems as well as irritation to the eyes and nose on the centre car park.
Two were discharged at the scene while 12, including three children under eight, went to hospital. They were all discharged the same evening.
A four-year-old girl was treated at home in Cheslyn Hay after suffering the same symptoms a short time after leaving the centre.
Fire crews made the building safe and ventilated it.
Fire station manager, Alan McEntire said: "This sort of thing does happen at times. There was probably about 15 litres of mixed gas which is not a massive amount in that respect."
The centre re-opened at 6.30am and the pool was re-opening this afternoon.
