In a disturbing incident at a hotel in Geroskipou, Paphos, 26 guests, including 14 children, were hospitalized after being exposed to toxic fumes generated by pool cleaning chemicals. Following the incident, which occurred on Monday afternoon, two hotel employees—a 57-year-old supervisor and a 28-year-old worker—have been remanded in custody for six days on orders from the Paphos district court.
The court, however, rejected a police request to arrest the hotel manager for the illegal employment of the 28-year-old, who is a foreign worker. According to police reports, the worker, under instructions from his supervisor, incorrectly mixed 10 litres of calcium hydrochloride and chlorine into the pool’s overflow channel. This mixture reacted chemically, releasing harmful fumes into the area occupied by guests.
The police highlighted that such pool treatments should ideally be carried out early in the morning before the pool opens or late in the evening after it has closed to avoid endangering guests.
The two staff members are now being investigated for engaging in dangerous or negligent acts leading to bodily harm. Additionally, the worker involved is under scrutiny for performing tasks outside his contracted duties as a room attendant.
Fortunately, those affected by the chlorine fumes suffered only mild symptoms, which subsided without serious complications. Both children were kept overnight for observation and were expected to be discharged the following day.
Following the incident, the State Health Insurance Organisation (Okypy) activated protocols for chemical exposure. Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou praised the prompt and effective response of the health services, especially given that the incident occurred after regular hours. He also emphasized the crucial role of public hospitals in handling such emergencies, highlighting their unique capacity to manage mass incidents and public health threats.
This incident has raised concerns over safety practices in public swimming areas and the need for strict adherence to chemical handling protocols to prevent such dangerous situations.
