A teenage boy from England was found unresponsive in one of the swimming pools at Nolhaga Parkbad during Friday.
Alingsås kommun writes on their website that other youths at the swimming pool saved the boy from the water. The staff performed CPR until the ambulance arrived. The boy was then taken to Sahlgrenska Hospital in Gothenburg.
– He is seriously injured, says Patrik Centerwall at Sahlgrenska press service.
The injured boy was in Alingsås to participate in the youth football tournament Gothia Cup.
The team is offered support
Crisis support has been activated to support the team and the staff working at the swimming pool at the time of the event.
– Volunteers have arrived to offer support through conversation and food, says Niklas Ehnfors.
A year ago another Gothia Cup player drowned at Nolhaga Parkbad.
– Of course everybody thinks about the fact that something similar happened last year. But right now our focus is on the person who is injured, says Niklas Ehnfors.
Quiet atmosphere
The atmosphere at the school and team is said to be quiet, as well as for the staff at the swimming pool.
– It was a traumatic experience for everyone involved, says Niklas Ehnfors.
Alingsås kommun has decided to keep Nolhaga Parkbad closed for the weekend, after the incident.
– It will open at 1 pm on Monday again, says Niklas Ehnfors.
During the weekend, Alingsås kommun will continue to give crisis support to the ones affected and await updates regarding the boy’s injuries.
Report filed
The police has filed a report regarding cause of bodily injury to further investigate the incident.
– We were first alerted about a cardiac arrest. It could have been a cardiac arrest in connection to a drowning, says Fredrik Svedemyr, who is the police press spokesperson.
Alingsås kommun says it is hard to know if something has failed at this time.
– The police investigation will be the basis of what the kommun will do, says Niklas Ehnfors.
How could a similar incident to last year happen again?
– The thing with accidents is that you can’t make sure they won’t happen again. It is hard to say what is alike and what differs from last year, because we don’t know much yet, says Niklas Ehnfors.
On Monday Sahlgrenska press service said that the boy is now treated with life threathening injuries.
