Pool Attendant’s negligence caused children to fall sick

By T. Farook Thajudeen  

Cinnamon Gardens Police yesterday produced the Pool Manager and the Pool Attendant of CR&FC’s Swimming Pool over an alleged negligence of the pool attendant which had caused five children to fall sick with serious breathing difficulties.

The Police told the Colombo Chief Magistrate that five children had gone for swimming practices to the CR& FC Swimming Pool on May12 . The trainees after getting ready for practices had got into the pool for training.  

However, the trainees had experienced breathing difficulties and were immediately taken out of the pool and taken to the emergency unit of the Colombo National Hospital where they were admitted for treatment.  

The Police said out of the five children four had been discharged after treatment and one was undergoing treatment in the ICU.  

The Police also said that according to the investigation the pool attendant had negligently over mixed chlorine, while there were sufficient amount of chlorine left in the pool’s water.  
The Magistrate remanded the Pool Attendant till May 27 and released the second suspect on Rs. 300,000 personal bail with two sureties.  During the inquiry it was observed that in prima-facie the Manager was not to be charged for the incident.  However, Magistrate Lanka Jayaratna ordered Cinnamon Garden’s Police to file their investigation report in Court on May 27  
Counsel Sajitha Jayewardene appeared for the 1st suspect while Counsel Thivanka Ekartna with Kumara Welgama appeared for the second suspect.