The Oaklandside sent these chemical names to the city\u2019s parks department and public works department seeking confirmation, but neither responded to that question.<\/p>\n
In an unsigned public email sent to pool users from Oakland\u2019s aquatics and swimming program<\/a> on Monday, the city only said that the Temescal Pool \u201cis closed until further notice due to the continued opening and closing of programming related to ongoing water quality concerns,\u201d and that \u201cwe believe it is best to keep Temescal closed until Oakland Public Works is able to fully address the facility issues contributing to the inconsistent water quality conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n The email made no mention of last week\u2019s chemical injuries.<\/p>\n Asked about the incident on Monday, the city administrator\u2019s office issued the following statement:<\/p>\n \u201cSwimmers are a valued part of the Oakland Parks, Recreation and Youth Development community and the City takes their health and safety seriously,\u201d the email said. \u201cThe City is investigating the incident at Temescal Pool to understand what exactly occurred, to review our policies and training, and to make sure an incident like this never happens again. In the meantime, staff are attempting to contact the individuals who were injured to make sure we are offering whatever support we can.\u201d<\/p>\n The city has not responded to questions about how many people were injured nor has it confirmed Temescal Aquatic Masters\u2019 description of how the chemical release happened.<\/p>\n \u2018I started to feel like I couldn\u2019t breathe\u2019<\/p>\n The people injured on Thursday were all members of the Temescal Aquatic Masters<\/a> swim team. The club offers coached workout sessions at the pool early on weekday mornings.<\/p>\n Two members of the team told The Oaklandside about the incident.<\/p>\n Flattery was swimming in a lane near the edge of the pool when she noticed yellow-tinged bubbles fizzing up from the center of the pool. She didn\u2019t think much of it at first, but when she came up for breath, she heard another swimmer struggling with what sounded like a distressed cough. \u201cI thought she was having an asthma attack,\u201d said Flattery, who works as a physician.<\/p>\n As Flattery turned toward the woman to help, she started to hear other swimmers also start to cough deeply. \u201cIt became clear we were being exposed to something,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was in my nose, and I started to feel like I couldn\u2019t take in breath. I could taste it.\u201d<\/p>\n The swimmers rushed out of the pool. Some went into the locker room to try to wash the chemical off their bodies, but they still had trouble breathing, Flattery said, and the room started smelling of chemicals, so they went out front onto the sidewalk on 45th Street.<\/p>\n Flattery and the other sources told The Oaklandside that 911 was called and five people ended up going to the hospital.<\/p>\n Muriatic acid, also known as hydrochloric acid can be corrosive to the skin, eyes, nose, respiratory tract, and other bodily tissue, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>. Inhalation can cause pulmonary edema, where fluids build up in the lungs, making it difficult to get oxygen. It can cause severe injuries to the mouth, throat, and stomach if ingested.<\/p>\n Flattery said the Temescal Aquatic Masters swim team leadership \u201chas been compassionate and professional\u201d about checking in with all the swimmers and keeping them updated on what\u2019s known about the incident.<\/p>\n Temescal Aquatic Masters leadership did not respond to an interview request for this story. The groups email to its members last week said that two people had to be transported to the hospital by ambulance. Two others were taken to hospitals in cars.<\/p>\n Oakland has cut the budget of its aquatics program in recent years. The city\u2019s current budget pays for one full-time pool technician and half of a part-time technician. That\u2019s down from two full-time technicians and one part-timer.<\/p>\n Swimmers and others we spoke to for this story told us the city\u2019s pools have frequently been closed over the past year due to water quality issues.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_4975-1600x1200.jpg\")
Temescal Pool was closed and quiet on Monday when The Oaklandside stopped by. Staff at the pool acknowledged the chemical incident on Thursday. Credit: Darwin BondGraham\/The Oaklandside<\/p>\n