Truth about hot tub dangers from toxic leaks to suction after couple's death

Truth about hot tub dangers from toxic leaks to suction after couple's death EXCLUSIVE Thomasina and Patrick Tobin slipped into a hot tub after a happy holiday BBQ with their sons at a luxury resort. What happened next was unthinkable. Here, The Mirror explores the more dangerous side of hot tubs and how to stay safe On the afternoon of Tuesday, August 24, Thomasina Tobin and her husband, Patrick, settled into a hot tub at a luxury Spanish villa, ahead of what should have been a relaxing end to another happy day of their family holiday. What followed was pure tragedy. Irish businesswoman Thomasina, 51, and New Zealand-born Patrick slipped into the downstairs tub at around 3 pm, after enjoying a BBQ with their two teenage children, both of whom have special needs. It was then that, unbeknownst to the rest of the family, disaster struck. Sadly, the couple, who'd been holidaying in Cap Blanc, an upmarket residential estate in Cullera close to Valencia, were never seen alive again. An autopsy determined that they'd both suffered cardiac arrests, with early analysis indicating they'd sustained "acute stress following physical exhaustion". Questions remain concerning exactly how this devastating double tragedy came about. Last week, investigators hypothesised that the hot tub's water circulation system could have caused the double tragedy. Meanwhile, preliminary post-mortem examination findings from the Valencia Institute of Legal Medicine suggest the couple died in an incident involving the jacuzzi's suction mechanism. 'Suction entrapment' can occur when a swimming pool or hot tub drain sucks in a person's hair, jewellery or limbs, which can result in drowning or potentially fatal catastrophic injuries. However, local spa technician Francisco Quero expressed doubts over the primary theory, claiming that the hot tub wouldn't have been generating enough power to trap two full-grown adults. Mr Quero told the Daily Mail: "This is a privately owned [hot tub] on private property, which means its motor runs on two or three horsepower maximum [equivalent to a large lawnmower or pressure washer]. "It is very strange that an adult would get stuck in the suction system. A baby might get stuck, but not an adult." Even if the grill covering the suction system was somehow removed, Mr Quero argued that an adult would likely only get stuck momentarily, but would still be able to escape with a few bruises. He continued: "There could have been an electric shock, causing a person to lose consciousness and block the suction, but... it does not make sense to me. "It is impossible to get stuck in one of these devices and not be able to get out. I am not an investigator, and I have not seen the equipment, but I would rule out that hypothesis." For now, investigations are ongoing as officers work to piece together the couple's tragic final moments. At around 7pm, their 14-year-old son headed over to the spa area in search of his parents, who he reportedly discovered lying by the hot tub exit step. Believing them to be sleeping and not wanting to disturb them, the teen left them alone and went to make dinner with his 16-year-old sibling, before getting an early night. The following morning, after checking in his parents' room, the youngest of the brothers saw that the bed hadn't been slept in. Once again, La Provincia reports, he headed to the hot tub area where he found his parents, still motionless in the same position. According to The Olive Press, a woman who'd been holidaying in a neighbouring villa shared: "My son, who is a nurse, went over to ask if he could help with anything, but they told him, 'There's nothing to be done.'" The shocking tragedy has understandably left many asking questions about the safety of hot tubs. But how dangerous are they and should we be worried? Here, The Mirror asks the experts... Suction risks As part of the investigation, the suction fittings within the tub have been examined to determine whether the hydro-massage system could have generated sufficient suction to trap the couple. Las Provincias reported: "According to the first investigations, the excessive suction force would have imprisoned the couple inside the bathtub, which triggered a situation of extreme anguish and desperate physical effort to free themselves from the hydraulic grip. "The autopsy findings almost definitively reinforce the theory of accidental entrapment. Preliminary analyses indicate that the victims suffered cardiac arrest brought on by acute stress following physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment." According to Lommuro Law, a water-circulation or filtration pump can create a powerful vacuum seal against a person's body, hair, or jewellery or clothing, if the drain covers in question are missing, broken, or badly designed. Health and safety consultant Andy Wilkinson, of Secure Safety Solutions, told the Mirror: "You've got risks of the mechanical parts either being exposed or, as we've said, getting clothes caught or getting hair caught in it, and that can cause things like drowning." As a certified member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), he explained how once a safety drain grate breaks, the hot tub no longer has the specially designed physical barrier to properly distribute water flow. Should a circulating pump continue to pull in significant quantities of water through a suction line with a cracked, loose, or removed safety grate, this can create a powerful and very dangerous vacuum. In such instances, the seal can be near-unbreakable. Back in 2017, a then four-year-old girl called Isabella Hristova was left fighting for her life after she was trapped by a hot tub filter. Her mum, Nicola Floyd, told the Metro: "Isabella never cried, but she just started screaming, ‘My tummy, my tummy'. She'd been sucked in and wasn't strong enough to push herself out. I tried with everything I had, pulling away, but I couldn't free her either." Little Isabella could only be rescued once the lifeguard turned off the power. Nicola, originally from Hampshire, remembered: "As a mum, I feel guilty, but I had no idea the filter was there. I'd never have put her at risk like that." Mr Wilkinson warned: "The key bit is checking it regularly, and then if it does need any work, obviously making sure that's done before it's used." Electrocution Another theory is that one person suffered cardiac arrest after being electrocuted due to a suspected fault in the tub, with the other losing their life while frantically trying to rescue them. Investigators reportedly believe that Thomasina may have suffered either a medical emergency or an issue related to a technical malfunction, and that Patrick may have attempted to help her out of the tub. While doing so, it's believed he could have been struck by another mechanical emergency or accident, potentially caused by an electric shock or the inhalation of toxic fumes. Back in June 2024, tragedy struck when a Texas couple, Jorge Guillen and Lizette Zambrano, went for a sunset dip in a hot tub while holidaying at the Sonoran Sea Resort in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. Speaking with ABC News, Lizette recalled: "The last thing I remember him saying is, 'Oh sh—t.' And it's the same time that I felt the first electric shock, and then it happened over and over and over, and I didn't hear him again." While Lizette survived the ordeal, Jorge sadly succumbed to his injuries. Onlookers had tried to pull him from the pool, but the current was just too strong. He was only 43 years old. Mr Wilkinson said that electrocution is certainly one risk to be mindful of. "Carry out inspections of the plugs themselves, the wiring. But also what it's being plugged into. If users have to operate switches on the system, is that not cracked or anything? Or if they've got to switch it on from a mains plug, is that waterproof? Because it may be okay when you get in, but when someone gets out, they're obviously going to be wet. So the last thing you want is them handling standard plug sockets when they're soaking wet." Chemical leaks As well as looking into potential mechanical faults, investigators are looking at the possibility of a potential chemical leak, The Olive Press reports, with cloudy water found in the hot tub in question. A powerful chemical smell was also noted. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "A properly chlorinated hot tub has little odour. A strong chemical smell indicates a problem." As part of the ongoing investigation, experts are looking into whether the couple could have suffered a circulatory collapse as a result of inhaling toxic gas or chemical fumes, for example, excess chlorine or hydrochloric acid, emitted by the spa pool. This rapid reaction, sometimes referred to as a 'sweet death', can lead to a person losing consciousness very quickly, without experiencing the sensation of suffocation. If this were the case, this would explain why neither of their sons heard any cries or screams for help from the spa area. According to Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment (TERA), toxic fumes such as excess chlorine, chloramines, or other chemical byproducts can build up in hot tubs with poor ventilation or during chemical malfunctions. Breathing in these concentrated vapours can be serious and can result in dizziness, respiratory distress, and even loss of consciousness. Mr Wilkinson said: "There are risks of skin irritations all the way through to chemical burns if it's not done properly. But it can also cause issues with the respiratory system. So if you're breathing in these chemicals, obviously, where we're bringing the temperatures up to a level which causes steam, then that steam could contain some of the chemicals. We're going to breathe that chemical in then as well." However, Mr Wilkinson warns that hot-tub related deaths are 'very uncommon'. "Fatalities from these kinds of things are very rare. There are two main factors really that pose the risk. You've got the mechanical aspect, so the stability of the hot tub itself, whether there are things like electrical faults. Obviously, you've got electricity and water, so you've got the risk of electrical faults developing." Have you been injured in a hot tub? Email me at [email protected]