SPRING – A Houston mother of three who says her children were injured in Saturday’s chemical spill at Hurricane Harbor Splashtown has filed a lawsuit against the park’s operators.
The lawsuit alleges that a concentrated and highly corrosive mixture of hypochlorite and sulfuric acid was released into a children’s pool area at Hurricane Harbor Splashtown in Spring.
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Amanda Regulus said in the lawsuit that her three daughters, all under the age of 13, immediately felt the presence of toxic chemicals in the air. Shortly after, Regulus said her children began developing headaches, skin irritations, and sore throats.
Splashtown closed after over 100 people decontaminated following chemical leak, officials say
Despite the dangerous conditions, the family said they were not immediately evacuated by the park. Regulus said park employees asked her and other guests to join a promotional contest before exiting the park about one hour after the leak.
According to the lawsuit, Regulus and her children are now receiving ongoing medical care for their injuries.
“On the surface, this chemical exposure was a negligent and irresponsible act that endangered hundreds of park guests, many of them children,” says Derek Potts of the Potts Law Firm, attorney for Regulus. “Through litigation, we’ll determine the extent of the operational issues and mistakes that led to the incident and its aftermath and compel the park to make the necessary changes to prevent this happening in the future.”
The Potts Law Firm also filed a temporary restraining order to ensure that the park operator does not destroy any evidence relevant to the case. The firm has told KPRC 2 that it now represents 239 people with more filings on the way.
According to officials, 86 people were treated for injuries at the scene and 31 were transported to local hospitals for treatment.
Splashtown released the following statement regarding the incident:
“The safety of our guests and team members is always our highest priority. Our team, along with third-party experts, has identified the cause of Saturday’s vapor release, and we are putting solutions in place to avoid a recurrence. We will provide additional information once we are ready to safely resume operations.”