Chlorine gas alarm in the Tübingen indoor swimming pool: 70 bathers evacuated!

Chlorine gas alarm in the Tübingen indoor swimming pool: 70 bathers evacuated!

On Sunday, October 27, 2025, a surprising but fortunately harmless incident occurred in an indoor swimming pool on the Berliner Ring in Tübingen. Around 70 bathers had to leave the pool due to a chlorine gas alarm that went off shortly before 5 p.m. The fire department was immediately called to the scene with a large contingent SWR reported.

Over 20 vehicles and around 80 emergency services were deployed on site, primarily from the fire department and rescue service. The affected bathers, including some in swimwear, were accommodated in a mobile, heated container while the situation was clarified on site. Ultimately it turned out that it was a false alarm caused by a technical defect in the chlorine gas sensor. There was no chlorine gas leak at any time, which quickly allayed the concerns of the evacuated guests.

Technical glitch triggers alarm

The fire department stated in its report that the sensor measured an overconcentration, which triggered the alarm. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of proper monitoring of such systems. In many public swimming pools, like this Lutz Jesco, chlorine is used for disinfection, but there are also risks: health problems can occur if it escapes uncontrolled; These include irritated airways or, in worst cases, even fatal pulmonary edema.

The evacuation had to be maintained for the rest of Sunday, which meant that bathing operations no longer resumed. It was an event that put both firefighters and pool staff on alert and highlighted the wide range of challenges facing public pools.

Safety in the swimming pool

To prevent such incidents in the future, the industry has released a new chlorine handbook that provides essential information on safe handling, storage regulations and safety precautions. This manual was presented for the first time at Interbad 2024 in Stuttgart and is intended to significantly increase safety when dealing with chlorine gas in swimming pools. Experts like Thomas Sache, who heads the DIN working group for chlorine gas systems in water treatment, emphasize the importance of training and preventive measures in water management.

Overall, this incident shows how important it is to identify potential dangers and technical breakdowns early on. The resulting alarm caused a stir, but had no health consequences. A luck that is not least due to the quick reaction of the emergency services.