All pools to close for blitz on bloodworms

All 36 government swimming pool complexes will close in phases over five days for a large-scale cleaning operation to eradicate the bloodworms found in some of the pools over the past two months.

The operation will begin tomorrow, with six to eight complexes being cleaned each day. The cleaning process is expected to take half a day at each complex.

'Also, we have contacted the Architectural Services Department to quickly review the design of our pool facilities and to inspect the play equipment and artificial turf installed in the pools,' a spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department said.

'Play equipment found to be of high potential risk for bloodworm breeding will be removed as soon as possible.'

Affected pools will be closed from 1pm on the day of cleaning and will reopen the next morning.

A 60-year-old man drowned yesterday at a public swimming pool after collapsing while apparently trying to retrieve his false teeth.

The man, surnamed Mok, was spotted floating in the Kwun Tong pool at about 7am.

'Lifeguards dragged the man out of the water but he had already lost consciousness,' a police spokeswoman said.

The victim was taken to United Christian Hospital, where he was certified dead on arrival.

Sources at the scene said the man had recently had an operation and he suddenly collapsed while retrieving his false teeth.

It was not known whether the victim had dropped his false teeth into the pool or had slipped and drowned while trying to pick the teeth up near the pool's edge.

A spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department said the department had launched an investigation into the accident.