The residents of the Het Grote Zand holiday park in Hooghalen are allowed to return to their homes, a spokesperson for the Drenthe Safety Region said. The park is safe to enter again and emergency services are being scaled down.
Earlier today, chlorine gas was released at the holiday park in Hooghalen during work in the technical room of the swimming pool. Two chemicals were accidentally mixed together, causing part of the park to be evacuated.
The fire brigade tried to open the thousand liter barrel in a controlled manner and mix it with water vapour, but that was not fast enough. That is why sand has now been poured into the barrel and the situation is under control. Later, the park itself must remove the contaminated sand.
Something went wrong, causing the gas to sink into the basement of the swimming pool. It therefore took longer than expected, but there is no need for people to have to look for shelter elsewhere. The problems have now been resolved.
This morning someone was injured while mixing the liquids. The victim was taken to hospital. This one has now returned home.
Residents were temporarily sheltered in cafes in Hooghalen. They said they had a great time there. “My partner has been reading for hours and I took the dog for a walk. We are both having fun. I walk a lot, more than I am used to in a day,” said one of the victims.