A chemical leak at a hotel swimming pool in Benahavís, near Marbella on Spain’s Costa del Sol, has left at least 60 holidaymakers requiring hospital treatment, with British tourists reported among those affected.
According to local authorities, the incident was triggered by a malfunction in the pool’s chemical treatment system. Investigators believe a faulty circuit breaker connected to equipment that regulates chlorine and acid levels caused the safety mechanism to fail, allowing hazardous gases to build up and spread around the pool area.
Among those treated were children and elderly guests, many of whom experienced symptoms consistent with gas inhalation. Emergency services responded to the scene, and the swimming pool has since been shut down while officials continue their investigation.
Water samples from the pool have been sent to a laboratory in Malaga for detailed analysis. Authorities are yet to announce when the facility will be considered safe enough to reopen.
The incident follows another chlorine-related accident reported just a day earlier near Rome, Italy, where eight swimmers, including several children, were affected by chlorine fumes at a public pool.
Health experts say chlorine is widely used to disinfect swimming pools, but problems can arise if chemical levels are not carefully monitored. An imbalance between chlorine and pH levels can produce toxic gases capable of causing breathing problems, coughing, eye irritation, and other respiratory symptoms.
