Health Department clears pool to reopen after chemical scare

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Seven children remained hospitalized at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health Friday afternoon following a chemical spill at a public pool in Indianapolis on Thursday.

Health officials said Friday that the pool was cleared to reopen, but Parks staff said they would wait for more information on the cause of the spill before unlocking the gates.

A day after several dozen people became ill at Garfield Park Pool on the near south side of Indianapolis, Marion County Health Department inspectors were out at the pool Friday morning and said chemical levels in the pool were within normal ranges. At about 1 p.m., the Health Department said it had cleared the pool to reopen, but Indy Parks Deputy Director Jen Pittman said pool staff would be waiting before allowing patrons back in.

“Even after we are given a green light and are comfortable with the reports and our understanding of what happened, we'd still want to circulate water through the pool as we would in any other circumstance before we open it to the public,” Pittman said. “At this point, we're waiting on an inspection report and we'll wait on a full report before we determine our next steps. We want to get a better understanding before of exactly what happened and how it happened. We’re also waiting on an inspection of the mechanical processes. And that is the piece of the puzzle that needs to happen and we need to receive before we determine our next steps.”

As those steps were being weighed Friday, those affected by the spill were also working to understand what happened.

“All of a sudden, the lifeguards were blowing their whistles and yelling to get out of the pool,” remembered Ricky Jenkins, 12, who was in the pool when the spill occurred. “As I was swimming toward the edge, I noticed this yellow stuff shooting out of the water valves into the pool. And then it was kind of hard to catch my breath, and whenever I took a deep breath, I felt like I was gonna get sick and stuff. I'm still trying to figure out what happened.”

Indy Parks and the Health Department were able to determine that concentrated levels of chlorine and muriatic acid had gotten into the pool, but by late Friday, no determination had been made as to what triggered the spill.

Asked if mechanical failures might be to blame, Pittman said it was too early to tell.

“It’s only speculation at this point,” she said. “But, that mechanical [inspection report] we think is going to be very helpful in determining whether it was a mechanical failure or some other process.”

Marion County Health Department inspection reports obtained by 24-Hour News 8 show abnormal pH levels were found in the pool during routine inspections at least 11 times over the last 5 years, though none were marked as serious violations. In documents provided by Indy Parks, the four weekly tests conducted by the Parks Department's private contractor Spear Corporation this summer showed pH levels within range in all tests but one. The first test of the season conducted on May 29 showed a pH level of 7.1. That’s 0.1 below accepted standards.

For Jenkins parents, not knowing what caused the spill was causing frustration Friday.

“I was praying inside my head--please let him be OK,” said his mother Peggy Jordan. “I just want to know why this happened.”

“I contacted an attorney this morning, and we plan to file a claim for them to pay for the hospital bill and whatever else,” said Jenkins father Kenny Frazier.

Three of the seven children who remained hospitalized were set to be released Friday, and the other four were reported either in good condition or as being stable. One person was reported at IU Health Methodist Hospital earlier Friday, but had been released as of Friday afternoon.