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Several students at an elementary school in California became ill when a fire extinguisher fell off a wall and discharged its chemical powder contents into a classroom on Thursday (May 2), prompting a HAZMAT response. The incident, which occurred around 2 p.m. at Lane Elementary School in Southeast Fresno, led to the evacuation of the fourth-grade students to the school's baseball field, where they were evaluated by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) crews, ABC 30 reports.
The Fresno Fire Department reported that 10 students experienced respiratory symptoms after inhaling the fire extinguisher powder. One student was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Josh Sellers from the Fresno Fire Department warned about the dangers of inhaling such powders.
"It's not good for you to have any sort of powder you're breathing in; some with respiratory issues may have more problems, but whether it's a fire extinguisher, baby powder, anything try not to breathe it in," he said.
The cause of the fire extinguisher's fall off the wall is currently unknown. The Fresno Fire Department, in collaboration with Fresno Unified, worked to inform parents about the incident and to ensure the safe return of their children.
According to Your Central Valley, the school district will be investigating the incident further.