Chlorine Leak Injures Almost 40

Jenny Albano

Contributor

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On Wednesday, March 26, a chlorine gas leak in a pool injured 36 students and one adult. Rocori High School is the same school where two boys were killed in a shooting over four years ago.

No one was critically injured, but twelve students and the injured adult had to stay over night at St. Cloud Hospital for further treatment. The leak was found just before 2 p.m. and the building was evacuated. Officials had the leak contained within one hour and are now investigating the cause of the leak.

Nearly 20 students were in gym class when they saw bubbles coming out of the pool drain, Superintendent Scott Staska said. The water supply had been shut off for routine work in "back in the chemical room, actually," he said, and had just been turned back on. The bubbles might just have been from air in the pipes, he said. But the students began feeling sick shortly afterward.

The leak occurred during a 9th and 10th grade gym class in which some of the students were using the pool. The school opened as scheduled on Thursday, but the pool will stayed closed for investigation. Chlorine gas can damage the eyes, skin, throat or lungs but long-term health problems are unlikely.