Investigators say pool filtration issue led to 9 children becoming ill in Palm Desert
New revelations Tuesday did not yield a lot of answers in the toxic chemical incident that took place at a pool inside the Marriott Shadow Ridge Resort in Palm Desert the day before.
“It was a huge scene for hours but we have gotten zero information,” said Allison Wagner, who is staying at the resort with her husband, children and eight other families. “We walked up to the pool as the incident just happened. We saw all the hazmat crews, all the fire engines, all the ambulances. All of the kids were on the side of the pool with ice on their chests, coughing.”
A total of 13 people fell ill, including nine children who were all hospitalized with three in serious condition. A Marriott spokesperson told KESQ News Channel 3’s and CBS Local 2’s Katie Widner that they all have recovered.
“They were treated and released from what I understand,” said Ed Kinney, vice president of corporate affairs and communications for Marriott Vacations Worldwide.
The incident came less than two months after two adults and two children suffered an electric shock on May 31 while in a pool at the same resort. KInney said no source for that issue was ever located.
Dottie Merki, a program chief for the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, told Widner over the phone that it’s investigation into Monday’s incident found that a possible pool equipment malfunction during a “backwashing procedure” had created a chlorine vapor that was released into the water, eventually floating to the surface in air bubbles before it was released. Merki said somehow air had gotten into the system, however, the county inspectors did not find any evidence of tampering or malfunctioning equipment during their investigation Tuesday.
Merki said her department was also informed by Marriott Shadow Ridge that its policy on pool cleaning has changed following the incident, to instead only allow backwashing of the filtration system when no one is present at the swimming pools.
“That property has been up and running for years with a normal routine of pool care, with backwash without ever having an incident,” Kinney said.
Kinney said the pool was cleared by local authorities and reopened within hours. The county has given the resort until Friday to conduct a third-party investigation. Still, families like the Wagners, who are still staying at the resort, said it is not enough.
“Give us an explanation on why we can send our kids back into the pool and compensation because we’re not using the pool for a few days until we know if it’s safe,” Wagner said.
Cal Fire-Riverside said the state health department has partnered with the county on an ensuing investigation.
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