New Rochelle YMCA Chemical Accident Sends 13 To Hospital

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A fume event at the YMCA in New Rochelle has sent nearly a dozen victims to the hospital, some with serious injuries.

First responders arrived at the scene of a hazmat situation at the YMCA in New Rochelle, just after 7:14 a.m. Monday. The fume event sent 13 people who were inside the building on Weyman Avenue to the hospital.

New Rochelle police and New Rochelle firefighters were called to the YMCA at 50 Weyman Ave. because of reports of a chemical exposure causing respiratory distress to multiple people in the building, which houses a swimming pool, according to a statement from the New Rochelle Police Department.

The cause of the exposure is under investigation by NRPD detectives and at this time, appears to be that an accidental mixture of chemicals created a hazardous condition leading to respiratory distress to 13 people who were transported to area hospitals, police officials said.

Police say the fumes appear to be accidental and "not criminal in nature."

The Pelham Manor Fire Department also responded to the scene. The area outside of the building "appears to be unaffected at this time," Pelham Fire Chief Joseph Ruggiero said in a statement. Officials repeated a call for motorists to avoid the area near the Home Depot in New Rochelle to not impede the emergency response.

According to CBS News at the scene, witnesses reported that "it felt like their lungs were on fire" prior to the "mad dash" to escape the building.

Several people were seen being treated with oxygen, according to a report from New York CBS News-affiliate WCBS's Tony Aiello. New Rochelle Fire Chief Andrew Sandor told the television station that victims suffered, “respiratory injuries, some skin exposure injuries."

Fire officials believe the "mass casualty" fume event was caused when chlorine used to treat the pool was accidentally mixed with hydrochloric acid.

In November 2019, a 32-year-old manager of a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Massachusetts was killed and 13 others were sickened when a cleaning compound containing hydrochloric acid was accidentally mixed with chlorine bleach.

"One of the employees was cleaning the floor of the restaurant, he used a product Super 8, and he also used a product Scale Kleen," Burlington Fire Department Chief Michael Patterson said at the time. "When these two chemicals mix together, it caused a chemical reaction, which made a number of people sick."

SEE ALSO: Bleach-Acid Mix Killed Burlington Buffalo Wild Wings Manager

According to “Chemical & Engineering News,” events in which consumers inadvertently create chlorine gas by mixing chemicals are reported more than 2,000 times every year. The result can be serious injury or death.

New Rochelle fire officials told NBC News that the scene is "contained for the time being."

At least six ambulances were requested at the scene this morning. News 12 Westchester reports that at least ten of the victims were "very sick." A number of the injured were taken to Jacobi Medical Center where a decontamination unit was being set up.