CommentsNewsJane Lavender Associate Editor04:00, 15 Mar 2026The fish tank released a deadly poison(Image: Oxford Mail/SWNS.COM)
A father has described the terrifying moment his fish tank released one of the world's most lethal poisons, leaving his entire household and four firefighters requiring hospital treatment.
Chris Matthews is now calling for greater awareness about the dangers lurking in seemingly harmless aquarium corals after the frightening ordeal in 2018.
The family-of-six started experiencing flu-like symptoms and eye irritation whilst relocating and cleaning coral from their domestic fish tank.
Four firefighters rushed to the property in Steventon, Oxfordshire - but all 10 people ended up being rushed to hospital after exposure to the toxic substance.
Police subsequently sealed off the surrounding area, reports the Mirror.
Everyone in the house became ill(Image: Oxford Mail/SWNS.COM)
Mr Matthews had no idea that palytoxin - ranked among the most poisonous substances on Earth - had been released into the atmosphere.
The then 27-year-old developed breathing difficulties, persistent coughing and a high temperature which he compared to "as bad as pneumonia".
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When every member of the household fell poorly - including two dogs, Mr Matthews dialled 999, though he acknowledges the situation could have proved catastrophic.
He said: "If we had spent another night in that bedroom our lives would have been in danger.
"Certainly our dogs would have been in a very bad way according to the vet."
Even the surrounding area had to be sealed off(Image: Oxford Mail/SWNS.COM)
He added: "That is what is so worrying, what if there had been a young child or someone elderly in the house?".
The source of the poisoning was traced back to the couple transferring their aquarium contents between tanks in their bedroom the previous week.
During the process, they removed a coral-encrusted rock and scrubbed it thoroughly. They were unaware at the time, but by doing so they discharged the material into the air before compounding the situation by shutting the door and going to bed for the night.
Mr Matthews said: "We woke up the next morning feeling groggy but initially put it down to flu.
"It was when we noticed our two dogs had similar symptoms that we knew something wasn't right."
The poison had been released into the atmosphere(Image: Oxford Mail/SWNS.COM)
As his mum, sister and her partner all developed different degrees of sickness throughout the day, Mr Matthews identified the probable cause and phoned the emergency services.
Paramedics, firefighters from Abingdon and Didcot, and Thames Valley Police all responded at approximately 8.20pm on Monday, March 26, shutting down the road and establishing a security perimeter around the vicinity.
All six in the home, which included Mr Matthews' dad Ian who had only just got back from work, were taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, alongside the initial firefighters who arrived at the scene.
