A man burned and having temporarily lost the use of an eye after having prepared a “shock treatment” for his swimming pool in his kitchen warns the population against the risks of explosion when this mixture is made in a closed place.
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“I made a mix for my shock treatment in a jar in the sink. When I put the water in to dilute the product, it took a few seconds, it boiled and then it exploded seven to eight times in the house,” says Pierre Dupuis.
Sunday afternoon, the resident of Vaudreuil-Dorion had to call the firefighters of his locality to decontaminate his home, after the explosion.
“I received all the products on me. […] I’m burned on my arm, I’m still coughing because of the fumes from the product,” says Mr. Dupuis.
He also temporarily lost the sight of one eye, an inconvenience that could have been much worse had he not been wearing his glasses, according to Pierre Dupuis.
“People will often use pool products as harmless products for household use, but they are relatively dangerous products that must be handled with care,” says Stéphane Massicotte, Division Manager of Fire Department Operations at Vaudreuil-Dorion.
Chemical reaction
“People try to dilute a large amount into a smaller container before adding it to their pool to avoid some form of settling or maximum dilution. But this is where it becomes dangerous,” explains Martin Nobert, president of the Association of Fire Prevention Technicians of Quebec.
This reaction generates a lot of heat, even if no flame or ignition occurs, specifies Michel Alsayegh, president of the Ordre des chimistes du Québec.
“It’s more of a boom! an explosion that is caused by the release of chlorine gas. This is what caused the person to be inconvenienced and to have burns, ”he mentions.
Courtesy picture
An explosion caused by chemical products damaged this kitchen in Vaudreuil-Dorion and destroyed its user’s t-shirt.
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Being in a small space, here a kitchen, unfortunately did not allow the gas to evaporate.
“When you put this salt in your swimming pool, at first you have a little odor. But on a space of several million m2 which constitute the ambient air, the gas can easily escape without being locked up. When it’s in a very closed place, it can cause an explosion, ”explains Mr. Alsayegh.
When preparing a swimming pool for summer, it is important to handle chemicals in a ventilated area, with a good supply of air to avoid respiratory burns or inhaling toxic fumes.
Moreover, in the event of an incident, the building will not be affected.
“The best practice is to do it directly in the pool. The amount of water is sufficient [pour éviter une réaction] “, Clarifies Mr. Nobert.
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