Children get sick at indoor swimming pool

Fifteen children attending a day camp and seven employees were taken to hospital today after falling ill at an indoor swimming pool in Varennes, east of Montreal.

Emergency services were called to the site, where they found the children complaining of headaches, dizziness and difficultly breathing. 

Seven of the children — all between the ages of five and eight — were transported by ambulance as a precaution. 

None of the children lost consciousness and their lives are not in danger, according to Sgt. Pierre Tremblay with the Richelieu-Saint-Laurent police. 

Chemical mix?

The pool is currently closed and emergency officials say they have not yet determined what made the children sick . 

Investigators think the problem was centred around the wading pool, which turned brown after the evacuation.

They think two chemicals — that shouldn't have been mixed — somehow ended up in the water at the same time.

Varennes city officials say the incident was likely caused by malfunctioning pool maintenance equipment.