Garfield Park pool reopening Wednesday - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Garfield Park is reopening its pool Wednesday after a chemical spill sickened over 70 children last week. Indy Parks says it was a combination of operator error and "system issues" that led to toxic chemicals being released into the pool.

The pool has been closed since June 21, 2012, following an incident involving the release of a gas into the pool area. The chemicals caused coughing and respiratory problems that sent over 50 to the hospital last week.

Indy Parks released two inspection reports Tuesday, one from Spear Corporation, a contractor that assists Indy Parks with pool maintenance and weekly inspections, and an independent report requested separately by Indy Parks from Aquatic & Recreation Design, a local firm with expertise in pool design.

Findings indicate both operator error and system issues.

An Indy Parks employee failed to open a valve following a routine backwash of the pool. The closed valve triggered a chain of events that allowed sodium hypochlorite solution and hydrochloric acid, two common pool chemicals, to combine in a closed system and form a gas, which later was released into the pool as pressure in the system increased.

Indy Parks says it has taken steps to correct operational and mechanical system issues and to prevent the same problems from occurring in the future. Backwash procedures have been updated to provide more detailed instruction specific to the facility. In addition, the sample stream/safety switch supply line was moved to a more ideal point in the system, a leaking pipe was repaired, and non-operational flow meters were replaced.