Investigation into pool incident sought after children became violently sick

A COUNTY councillor has called for a full investigation into an incident during which a swimming pool had to be evacuated after children became violently sick.

Six children had to be rushed to Letterkenny University Hospital in Co. Donegal yesterday after they became ill at nearby Aura Leisure Centre.

Dozens of swimmers, many of them children, were treated at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.

One child has been admitted to intensive care in hospital, while another is still being cared for on a paediatric ward.

Up to 60 people were in the pool around the time of the incident which witnesses decribed as ‘scary’.

Councillor Gerry McMonagle – who had been due to bring his grandchildren to the pool yesterday – attended the scene as soon as he heard the pool had been evacuated.

‘What I saw was a fairly chaotic situation but I have to say that the staff and the emergency services were superb,’ he said.

‘Having said that I still feel that a full investigation into what caused this incident needs to be carried out to prevent it happening again.’

One woman who was in the pool with her children said they were terrified. ‘My three children were in the pool and my son said he was diving when he saw a dark fluid coming out in the pool under the water,’ she said.

‘Kids were screaming and running around. Some dark brown fluid came out in the pool and the staff took them out. Kids were sick, coughing and vomiting. The kids were all shaking and scared.’

A spokesman for Aura Leisure Centre yesterday described the incident as ‘minor’. He said: ‘A minor incident occurred at Letterkenny Pool this morning.

‘In line with our safety policy our emergency procedures were put in place immediately and, purely as a precautionary measure, the ambulance services were alerted. We are grateful for their prompt response. We have no further comment to make at this time.’

The HSE has confirmed that only those who were in the swimming pool at the time of the incident were affected.

Letterkenny University Hospital has since stepped down its major emergency plan.

‘The kids were all shaking and scared’