Huron Pool Shut Down Indefinitely | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Huron, CA The pool needs better water quality and clarity. Until those issues are fixed, the health department will not allow anyone inside to swim.

Health department inspectors returned to the Chestnut Park Public Pool where Janet Ramirez drowned Wednesday afternoon.

The water is still murky and health officials say the chemical levels are unacceptable.

Hank Gill, Fresno County Health Dept.: "Currently, and the maintenance people are still working on it, the levels are low both in chlorine and ph."

Inspectors say in order for the pool to re-open the drain must also be visible from outside the pool.

"The pool water or the clarity was not there you know."

One of Janet's friends, who was swimming with her shortly before the drowning told action news when other kids noticed something at the bottom of the pool she dove in.

The children then notified lifeguards who pulled the girl out and began resuscitation efforts.

Police say Janet was underwater at least 10 minutes.

The parks general manager refused to comment Friday about the water quality at the time of the drowning.

He also would not talk about what training lifeguards undergo and whether they will be re-trained since the incident.

Police say four lifeguards were in the immediate area when the child went under.

For now the Health Department says the pool is shut down until further notice.

"They are closed until all the issues are taken care of and we don't take public safety into anyone's hands. Until that's taken care of if it a week, two days, a month, so be it."

The Health Department says the Chestnut Park Pool has passed inspections in the past. At the end of last month during a random maintenance inspection, there were no problems reported.

But even police investigators say when they arrived at the scene Wednesday afternoon, the water was very murky.

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