A chemical spill prompted a hazardous materials response at the Hunt Club Park Aquatic Center in Gurnee Thursday morning ahead of the water park’s season opening this weekend.
The Gurnee Fire Department and Gurnee Police Department responded around 6:30 a.m. Thursday to Hunt Club Aquatic Center, 900 Hunt Club Road in Gurnee, for a report of a hazardous materials incident.
Gurnee Fire Department Battalion Chief James Pelleteri told Lake and McHenry County Scanner the incident involved a small hydrochloric acid leak in a pool treatment area.
A tank, which has the capacity to hold 300 gallons of the chemical, had approximately 70 gallons of product in it.
A pump failed and caused the 70 gallons of acid to go into a safety overflow reservoir, Pelleteri said.
The safety overflow reservoir can only hold 55 gallons, which resulted in approximately 15 gallons of acid overflowing and leaking out, Pelleteri said.
The staff noticed the leak and called 911. No injuries were reported.
Pelleteri said fire department crews were on the scene for at least two hours working to mitigate the leak.
The Gurnee Park District said earlier this week that the Hunt Club Aquatic Center would open for the season on Memorial Day weekend this Saturday.
The park district said the leak would not delay the aquatic center’s opening this weekend.
The Mundelein, Libertyville, Zion and Lake Villa fire departments covered calls in Gurnee while firefighters were committed at the scene, Pelleteri said.