At approximately 9:45 p.m. on November 4, 2003, a maintenance employee went to the chlorine house to turn on the chlorination system. The chlorine house measured 3 feet, 10-inches wide by 5 feet, 10-inches long and was approximately 10-feet high. The water lines ran through a hole in the block wall. The hole in the block wall lead directly from the chlorine house into the chemical room. The hole was approximately 12 inches wide by 10-inches high.
The maintenance employee stated that when he cracked the chlorine valve, he noticed the seal was leaking. He ran out of the chlorine house, about 20 feet away, caught his breath, collected his thoughts, and then went to the maintenance shop to get a respirator.