Chemical fumes from pool maintenance send 13 pupils to hospital at Koropi school in Attica

What happened

Fumes were released on Wednesday, 11 November, while maintenance work was under way on the swimming pool of a private school in Koropi, east of Athens. Early reports say a chemical was used incorrectly during the cleaning, and one account says the wrong liquid was put into the pool filters. Pupils began to feel unwell at about 10:30 in the morning, and staff called ambulances from EKAB, which took the children to the Aglaia Kyriakou children's hospital with breathing problems.

Casualty figures

Most reports put the number of pupils taken to hospital at 13, all of them first-grade primary pupils. One further pupil left with a parent who signed a statement taking responsibility for them. Early figures for adults differ: one account reported seven adults taken to the Sotiria hospital with six more transfers still under way, while another put the adult total at 13. Two maintenance workers, aged 37 and 45, were taken to the Koropi health centre. One early report gave a total of 28 people taken to hospital, and another said 19 pupils had breathing problems.

Response and current condition

Fire service crews attended the site, and the primary school and kindergarten on the premises were evacuated as a precaution. The National Poison Control Centre said there is no cause for concern about the health of those exposed to the fumes. Early information says everyone affected was in good condition, and the figures for adults were still being updated when the reports were published.