In what has been described as a “deliberate attack,” clouds of toxic chlorine gas were released into a public swimming pool in Italy. The attack left twenty-five people poisoned.

The number of poisoned swimmers includes nine school-aged children who were in the pool taking swimming lessons at the Monti Lessini Sports Centre in Italy.

Local emergency responders, including firefighters, medics, law enforcement officers and even nuclear scientists were present at the public pool on Friday after the toxic plume was released, the Daily Star has reported.

Victims of the alleged deliberate attack were taken to local area hospitals on minibuses, with some of the worst affected individuals being transported to medical centers in Negrar, Borgo Trento and Borgo Roma.

The Italian Ministry of the Interior confirmed that Nuclear, Biological, Chemical and Radiological (NBCR) units were on hand at the scene of the toxic gas release, as reported by the Daily Star.

According to officials investigating the incident, the poisoning was claimed to be from pool workers miscalculating the amount of chlorine needed to disinfect the pool.

Written by B.C. Begley