AURORA | Large parts of a heating and cooling system fell from the ceiling into a swimming pool at Gaylord Rockies Saturday morning injuring six people, two critically, according to Aurora fire and rescue personnel.
“We have provided medical care for six total patients,” fire officials said in a tweet. ”Two of these patients were transported to local hospitals with life-threatening injuries.”
All of those injured were taken to nearby hospitals.
“Our hearts go out to all those who were injured today, to their families and to those traumatized by witnessing what occurred,” Mayor Mike Coffman said in a statement. “We expect a thorough investigation, and our immediate focus is the well-being of those involved, and we thank our first responders for their quick response and care.”
Eight Aurora firefighters were at the hotel for a training exercise when the incident occurred just before 10 a.m.
“This allowed a quick response of highly trained paramedics and EMTs who went right away to the pool to assist patients,” city spokesperson Ryan Luby said in a statement.
Witnesses said the pool was crowded at the time, with as many as 100 people in the pool and the area.
Rescuers had to not only respond to injured people but ensure they weren’t also injured by falling debris, officials said.
“I would like to share that the men and women of this agency train for this type of incident every day,” said Aurora Fire Chief Alec Oughton. “I am proud of their rapid and effective response in caring for our community.”
Inside pools such as this are perfect for and subject to an advanced corrosion environment, all pretty predicable. The chemical reactions from the chlorine and continued wetting humidity on metal parts creates the loss of product integrity. The supporting hardware that kept up the overhead equipment we will find amplified and advanced hardware failure. These kinds of things (All-thread, Unistrut) are overlooked and not addressed during any maintenance. They just sit up there and rust away at a rapid rate all created through faster than normal the chemical reactions to these unique environments.
Suspecthathe wrong fasteners (bolts) were used.
Or cheaper bolts made of a inferior quality metal, used.
Hope that everyone can recover.
Great article! The incident of an AC unit falling into a pool at Gaylord Rockies and causing critical injuries is undoubtedly a distressing and unfortunate event. Safety should always be a top priority, and it is crucial for establishments to maintain and secure their equipment properly to prevent such accidents from occurring. It is my hope that those injured receive the necessary medical attention and support during their recovery, and that this incident serves as a reminder for increased vigilance in maintaining a safe environment for everyone.
Oh, really?