Officials said a mixture of chemicals in the area of the Y's indoor swimming pool created a gas that caused various reactions among people inside the building, including mucus, irritation, and rash.
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"What we found when we got here, from the hazmat side, was a chemical reaction going on in the sub-room below the pool, where they mix the pool chemicals to keep the pool water safe for folks to swim in," said Dep. Chief Tom Kemery, Reading Fire Department.
Between 10 and 20 people, including some children, experienced a reaction.
Officials said they were evaluated at the city's nearby ambulance station.
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Some were transported to the hospital for further treatment, officials said.
About 60 other people were evacuated from the Y's daycare center and sheltered across the street at St. Joseph Medical Center's Community Campus.
Firefighters used fans to clear the building of the chlorine gas before allowing people back inside shortly before 5 p.m.