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5 taken to hospitals after possible electrical incident at Harbourside Place fountains in Jupiter

Fire rescue initially responded to possible drowning
Posted at 5:41 PM, Oct 22, 2023
and last updated 2023-10-23 08:21:20-04

JUPITER, Fla. — Five people were taken to hospitals, including three children, and three others were also treated after a possible electrical shock Sunday afternoon within the fountain area at Harbourside Place.

The incident, which was initially reported as a possible drowning, was reported at 3:33 p.m. at 149 Soundings Ave.
 

Callers to 911 said that a child was in the fountains and began having distress.

Jupiter police officers and some bystanders were rendering aid when rescuers arrived. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel found several patients who needed to be evaluated for possible injuries.

"Evidently, somebody had gone into the water and started having some distress," spokesman Capt. Tom Reyes said at the scene. "Some other people went in to try to remove them from the water. It appears as though there may have been an electrocution in the water itself."

Capt. Tom Reyes at scene of possible drowning/electrocution at Harbourside Place in Jupiter. Oct. 22, 2023.png
Capt. Tom Reyes at scene of possible drowning/electrocution at Harbourside Place in Jupiter.

Because the three children had cardiac distress, it required them to be taken to a trauma center.

The fountain area at Harbourside Place in Jupiter was cordoned off with yellow tape. Oct. 22, 2023
The fountain area at Harbourside Place in Jupiter was cordoned off with yellow tape.

Florida Power & Light personnel were also called to the scene.

The conditions of the patients weren't known. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue doesn't give conditions, citing privacy law. Jupiter police haven't provided an update on conditions.

Reyes said it is not "common" to be dealing with a possible drowning and an electrocution.

"You treat a drowning different than an electrocution and there are protocols for an MCI," Reyes said.