MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Monday afternoon, Hazmat crews responded to a resort on South Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach about an issue with the pool.
Lt. Jonathan Evans with Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue confirms the teams were called to the Sea Crest Resort at 803 S. Ocean Boulevard around 1:30 p.m.
Fire officials say nine people are being treated after being in the pool and two of those were juveniles, who have been taken to the hospital. The pool was evacuated and the people treated by first responders on the scene reportedly were suffering from skin and respiratory issues.
“She ran to me with her friend and they were crying, coughing and vomiting,” said Johanan Calderon about his 6-year-old daughter who was in the hospital on Monday night. “I thought they drank water or something and they got worse.”
Calderon was on vacation with his family and was supposed to go home on Monday but planned to stay at the hospital overnight.
“To me it was scary because I see my child crying, vomiting and getting bubbles on the mouth,” he said.
Lt. Evans says rescue crews believe it was something in the air that caused the sickness. Most people were around the pool area of the Sea Crest Resort, but others were near the Captains Quarter Hotel and even the beach access area.
“Something may have gotten mixed and created a little bit of a cloud that kind of went out and then might’ve been blown down and eventually dissipated,” he added. “So we’re not exactly sure what it was and we think we know where it started but we’re not exactly sure so we can’t confirm.”
By Monday evening, the pools appeared to be back open.
The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control is investigating.
