A number of children were among 24 people who needed hospital treatment after inhaling chlorine gas in a luxury hotel spa.

       Firefighters and paramedics were called to the Solent Hotel and Spa in Whiteley, Hampshire, at 8.44pm on Monday evening after guests began to suffer breathing problems.

       A spokesman for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) said chlorine gas had been accidentally created after two chemicals had been mixed together in the spa area of the hotel.

       The Hazardous Area Response Team (Hart) and firefighters from Hightown, Fareham, Cosham, Portchester, St Mary's and Romsey attended the scene, as well as crews from South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS).

       The spokesman said: "Crews were called following reports that a number of hotel guests had been overcome by fumes in the spa area after two chemicals had accidentally been mixed together and created chlorine gas."

       The HIWFRS crew began immediate emergency care for the guests and set up a casualty handling area after they requested the ambulance service to attend.

       A ventilation fan was then used to clear the fumes and firefighters took the vessel containing chemicals to fresh air. Gas monitors were used to check that the scene was safe.

       The General Manager at the Solent Hotel and Spa, George French, said that following the incident all guests were evacuated from the hotel on the instruction of the fire service attending the scene.

       He said: "Unfortunately, some of our guests who had been using the spa facilities yesterday evening were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.

       "Our main priority is our guests' and team members' health and wellbeing and we will share further information as soon as it becomes available.

       "This incident is under investigation so we are unable to release specific details but Solent Hotel is currently open and the spa and fitness facilities reopened as normal at 8am this morning."

       The NHS South Central Ambulance Service attended the scene with four ambulance officers, a Hazardous Area Response Team and eight ambulance crews.

       A spokesperson for SCAS said that 24 patients, ranging from children to those in their 50s, were assessed and treated by their ambulance teams for "breathing difficulties".

       They added: "Following treatment at the scene by our crews those patients were taken to University Hospital Southampton for further assessment for those non-life threatening injuries."

       HIWFRS Station Manager Dave Graham said: "This was a large-scale incident with multiple people requiring medical treatment for the inhalation of gas.

       "We worked well alongside our colleagues from SCAS and SCAS HART to make sure that everyone received the help they needed and to ensure that the scene was made safe.

       "We handed the incident over to the hotel management."