59 people hospitalized over chlorine gas at Jeju hotel — Korea Herald

Fifty-nine guests and employees were hospitalized after chlorine gas spread at the Grand Josun Jeju hotel in Seogwipo on South Korea’s Jeju Island. People complained of nausea, dizziness, vomiting and headaches, Korea Herald reports.

Evacuation of guests

Jeju fire services received a report at around 10:40 that the smell of bleach could be detected on all floors of the hotel. Rescuers arrived at around 10:53 and evacuated all 85 guests staying at the five-star hotel in the Jungmun tourist complex.

A temporary medical post was set up at the scene, after which 59 people were taken to nearby hospitals. According to the fire service, no seriously injured people were reported.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Probable cause of the incident

The fire service believes the gas was produced in the morning while disinfectant was being added to clean the swimming pool on the hotel’s first floor. According to the preliminary version, the disinfectant was mixed in the wrong proportion, which may have caused chlorine gas to form and spread through the building.

Some guests, according to local media, criticized the hotel’s response, saying that evacuation was not carried out immediately and that not everyone was provided with masks. A representative of Josun Hotels & Resorts said staff announced the evacuation and went around the rooms, but some guests in bathrooms or the sauna may not have heard the announcements. The company said it is cooperating with the fire service and other institutions to measure the gas concentration.