Mumbai: Woman falls unconscious in pool, taken to hospital in auto, dies

The civic-run Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Olympic Swimming Pool at Shivaji Park where a swimmer had fainted earlier and other members took him to a hospital in a taxi. File pic/Ashish Raje

In the third incident in two months that highlights the need of doctors and ambulances at BMC-run swimming pools, a woman was ferried to hospital in an auto, after she was found unconscious in a pool at Chembur on Tuesday. She was declared dead later. In February, two divers collided at the same pool and were severely hurt. They were also rushed to a hospital by other members in autos. A swimmer at Shivaji Park civic pool was also taken to a hospital in a taxi after he fainted.

Members have pointed to the need for doctors and medical equipment at civic pools after the latest incident. A BMC official, however, said it is not cost effective to have doctors or ambulances at every pool. The incident took place at the General Arunkumar Vaidya Swimming pool widely known as Chembur Swimming pool. On Tuesday, Gajanan Koli and his wife Renuka, 61, were swimming in the morning batch from 8 am to 9 am. Gajanan came out of the pool and proceeded to the changing room. Renuka was still inside the pool. Suddenly life guards realised she wasn't moving and brought her out of the pool.

The incident

"Our lifeguards tried CPR but there was no response. The woman's husband then arrived at the spot, and with him, staff took her to the nearest hospital. She was shifted to Zen Hospital where she was declared dead on arrival," said Akanksha Deshmukh, manager at the Chembur pool. "Everything happened so quickly, I didn't even understand what exactly happened. At 8.45am, she was in the pool, but within few minutes she was gone. I still can't forget that sight," said Gajanan Koli, Renuka's husband. He said they took Renuka to a hospital in an auto.

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Renuka Koli was rescued from the pool by lifeguards

Koli retired two years back and said he and his wife joined the pool seven months ago. "My wife had high blood pressure from the past five years to six years. We decided to join the pool for fitness. We had taken medical advice for the same," said Koli. This is the third such incident at a BMC swimming pool in the past two months when members have had a medical emergency and other members ferried them to hospital by public transport. There was also no immediate medical aid apart from that provided by life guards.

On February 15 around 6.10 am, 76-year-old Pramod Sarangdhar fainted while swimming at the civic-run pool at Shivaji Park. He said there was no ambulance stationed, resulting in members stopping a cab and requesting the women who had hired it, to get down to take him to hospital. Fortunately, Sarangdhar didn't have any medical complications and recovered.

In another incident at the Chembur swimming pool on February 26, two divers collided with each other in the pool, leaving both severely injured. Nabi Sheikh, 50, had jumped into the swimming pool and was about to get out. But an instructor signalled to the next swimmer, Surendra Adsul, 45, to dive. Sheikh had, however, returned to get his cap which had come off while swimming. Adsul collided with Sheikh.

"I fell unconscious, and fellow swimmers carried me to the gate of the pool which is around 100 meters away, as there was no wheelchair and stretcher. I was taken in an auto to a hospital. The BMC should make provisions for a doctor or an ambulance at every pool to avoid any such incident turning fatal," said Nabi Sheikh.

"Renuka Koli was about to come out of the pool and suddenly fell unconscious. As per our information she had an issue with high BP. We advice members having hypertension and heart ailments not to do extensive swimming, which could affect the body," added Deshmukh, manager of General Arunkumar Vaidya Swimming Pool.

Official speak

"The incident at the Chembur pool is unfortunate. Staff at the pool tried their best to save her. Keeping doctors or ambulance at every pool is not cost effective. But we have clearly instructed staff at pools not to overlook any small incident, and that immediate action should follow to resolve the issues," said Kishore Gandhi, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Garden).

8.45
Time (AM) when she entered the pool