YMCA Cape Cod Pools Remain Closed Following Internal Investigation

BARNSTABLE, MA — YMCA Cape Cod pools will remain closed following an internal investigation into why seven children were hospitalized with respiratory issues after swimming during an after school program.

Earlier this month, YMCA officials said seven children from the after-school program were taken to Cape Cod Hospital to be evaluated for respiratory issues after only being in the West Barnstable pool for a short time.

Massachusetts State Police told Boston 25 News that the children were exposed to a chemical reaction in the pool, prompting symptoms that included coughing and vomiting.

According to the Boston Globe, at least two of those children were later flown to a hospital in Boston for treatment. Though one of those two was in "critical but stable" condition, all seven are expected to recover.

Read more: YMCA Cape Cod Pools Closed After 7 Kids Hospitalized

On Friday, officials revealed the results of an internal investigation and what they'll do in the future to insure it doesn't happen again.

YMCA officials said they believe the accident was caused "by exposure to a noxious gas, brought about by a combination of factors that resulted in an accidental mixing of muriatic acid and residual granular chlorine inside the pipes of our filtration system."

The investigation didn't find any evidence that the gas exposure was caused by a chemical spill, officials said.

Officials said they were seeking repairs to the automated chemical feeder system for the pool, asking several vendors who were unable to respond in a timely fashion. As a result, YMCA employees were forced to add chemicals in themselves.

What happened on Oct. 7 was an accident that officials said is the result of this process.

"On October 7th in the morning, granular chlorine was added into the filtration system. Later in the day, muriatic acid was added into the filtration system," officials said. "It is now believed the granular chlorine had not yet dissolved inside our filtration system. When the two chemicals mixed, noxious gas was released into the deep end of the pool where the seven children were swimming."

As of Oct. 20, the automated chemical feeder system has been repaired. Officials said in the future that anytime manual dosing for the pool is needed, the pool will be closed.

The YMCA will also take extra measures for employees.

Several employees are set to become Certified Pool Operator certified, and YMCA Cape Cod has partnered with YMCA of Greater Boston’s Aquatics Specialist to develop updated chemical guidelines and standard operating procedures.

As for when the pool may reopen, YMCA officials said their findings will be submitted to the state and local Boards of Health. They will need full clearance from those boards before they establish an official timetable to reopen.