Two hurt in Johnson County chemical explosion while mixing pool cleaning solution
Jun 17th 2016 7:19AM
JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. - A Bargersville couple is recovering after a pool cleaning solution blew up inside their house this week.
A picture of the aftermath shows the kitchen window blown out, chemicals splattered all over the walls and cabinets and the kitchen sink blasted into the cabinet below.
Bargersville Fire Chief Jason Ramey said the homeowners were in the kitchen mixing up a cleaning solution for their pool late Tuesday, when they made a dangerous mistake.
"They had two compounds of pool shock. They just happened to be different manufacturers. One was a brand A, one is a brand B. They mixed those powders together and once they applied the water, there was a some sort of chemical reaction that caused that explosion within the home," explained Ramey.
The husband and wife got out of the house quickly as a cloud of chemicals spread. They were hospitalized for minor chemical burns, chemical inhalation and temporary hearing loss.
"Honestly, it could've been worse," said Allie Shrum, General Manager at Angie's Pool & Spa.
The shop carries four different brands of pool shock and each one has a different active ingredient. Shrum said you should never mix brands, because there is almost always a reaction.
However, you should pour the chemical directly into the pool, she said, so it dilutes into a large body of water. And above all, she urged homeowners to ask a professional for help when handling pool chemicals.
"They can be dangerous. They can be harmful. It's better to be safe than sorry," said Shrum.
FOX59 spoke to one of the victims over the phone. He did not want to be identified, but hoped others would learn from his experience.
Chief Ramey called the blast "catastrophic" and an innocent mistake that did not end well.
"This was 'I'm gonna mix these two, because I've got a little bit of each and make it work,' and it just did not happen that way," he said.