HUNTINGTON TWP. -- A township woman remained in critical condition Thursday, recovering from second-degree chemical burns she received while mixing swimming pool chemicals at her Mountain Road home.
Shickshinny Fire Capt. Fred Nichols said officials believe Carol Crane was mixing chlorine and shock inside a bucket in her kitchen sink around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday when a chemical reaction occurred.
Nichols said the chemicals exploded, burning Cranes face and arms. She also inhaled the potent fumes, Nichols said.
Crane, the office manager for Luzerne County District Attorney David Lupas and a longtime newspaper reporter, was home alone, but still able to call 911, Nichols said.
She was flown to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville where she remained critical Thursday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said.
A chemical reaction is going to basically blow up and out, Nichols said. And it blew the bucket in half.
Nichols said fire officials are not exactly sure what Crane was mixing, but they found the shock and a bottle of chlorine in the home.
Nichols said a product left over in the bucket from a prior use could have sparked the reaction.
Shock, Nichols said, is a chemical used to kill algae in swimming pools. Normally, it can be poured right into the pool, he said.
We dont understand why she did it in the kitchen sink, Nichols said. We were more (concerned) about her injuries and how we were going to get her to the hospital.
Nichols said the fumes were still potent by the time rescue crews arrived on the scene. Two firefighters entered the home to assess the situation, they needed air packs, Nichols said, and smelled of chlorine when they exited the home.
It was bad, Nichols said.
Bill Dickinson, a manager at Northeast Pools in Wilkes-Barre, said shock needs to be mixed before being poured into a pool. But it is not advised to mix the chemical inside. Reading the directions on the chemicals containers will ensure safe usage, he said.
Distributed by the Associated Press
