Pupils Sent Home Over Chlorine Leak

Pupils have been sent home following a chlorine leak at a school swimming pool.

A janitor raised the alarm at Fir Park school in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, this morning.

None of the 138 pupils were exposed to the chlorine which was isolated by a Scottish Fire and Rescue crew.

Two men were given check-ups as a precaution.

North Lanarkshire Council said the secondary school for pupils with additional needs will reopen tomorrow.

A spokesman said: At around 8am the janitor at Fir Park school discovered an elevated meter reading of chlorine in the swimming pool area.

He immediately notified the fire service who arrived quickly and isolated the pool area.

No pupils were in the school at the time and none were exposed to the chlorine. Pupils have returned home, while staff have been sent to nearby schools.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and Police Scotland remain on the scene. We will contact parents later today to update them on the situation.''

An SFRS spokesman said: Two appliances were immediately sent from Motherwell and Hamilton along with the specialist environmental protection unit from Hamilton.

Firefighters reached the incident less than eight minutes later and the leak was quickly isolated.

Crews worked alongside an advisor from Glasgow Science Services to conduct atmospheric monitoring and this confirmed a zero reading within the building.

The incident has since been scaled down and a single SFRS crew will remain in attendance until an engineer has completed an assessment of poolside equipment and deemed it safe.''