A WOMAN has passed away after a swimming lesson with her family, as police investigate a possible pool chemical poisoning.
Juliana Faustino Bassetto, 27, was taking her regular swim lesson with her husband when they noticed an odd smell and taste to the water.
They reportedly alerted the swim instructor of their concerns as they began to feel unwell, g1.globo reported.
All the students were then advised to leave the premise.
Juliana and her husband, from São Paulo, Brazil, rushed to hospital on Saturday after the lesson suffered from a mysterious illness.
Tragically, Juliana’s condition worsened and she ended up going into cardiac arrest.
She was later pronounced dead.
Her husband remains in a serious condition.
A 14-year-old child who was also in the lesson is in the ICU.
Two other people reportedly fell unwell after visiting the pool, but have since been discharged.
Juliana had reportedly been taking lessons for 11 months at the gym.
According to the police, the victims became unwell after inhaling a dangerous mixture of chemicals used to clean the pool.
Investigators said they found a bucket containing approximately 20 litres of potentially poisonous mixture at the scene.
The bucket was seized and will be examined along with the pool water.
The gym, in the east zone of São Paulo, allegedly did not have an operating licence.
The gym and pool have since been closed by health authorities.
In a statement, the manager of C4 GYM Academy said they were “fully cooperating with the competent authorities, contributing in every way that is necessary”.
Police are waiting for the area to be cleared so they can determine what products were used.
Detective Alexandre Bento of the 42nd Police Precinct told TV Globo: “At the moment, we have one deceased victim, her husband in serious condition and hospitalized, a teenager in the ICU, and two victims who have been discharged”.
“According to the initial findings of the forensic investigation, there was a chemical reaction there, probably with the products used to clean the pool, which contaminated all the air and caused the poisoning of these people.
“We are trying to locate those responsible, the professor who was teaching the class. Witnesses said that the valet was the one mixing the products.”
