NJ Teens Charged After School 'Chemical Odor' Evacuation: Police

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Two high school students have been charged after Friday afternoon's evacuation at the school, South Brunswick Police said.

At 12:25 p.m. on Friday, March 11, several students reported eye and throat irritation following exposure to a chemical odor in a science classroom at the South Brunswick High School.

Police and school administration decided to evacuate the school. Fire departments from Monmouth Junction, Kendall Park, and Kingston responded to the scene with four trucks and a total of 23 firefighters.

The chemical irritant was revealed to be pepper spray, Deputy Chief of Police James Ryan said.

According to an investigation, a male student brought a canister of pepper spray to class and was showing it to several students. Another male student took the pepper spray and discharged it into two lab sinks, Ryan said.

This caused other students to be exposed to the irritant, leading to the evacuation of the school and full-scale emergency response.

The two students involved in the incident have been charged with juvenile delinquency and released to their parents, Ryan said.

In total, 23 emergency vehicles and 46 first responders were involved in the incident, which lasted for an hour and 25 minutes, with the follow-up investigation lasting into late afternoon, Ryan said.

Fire officials also requested a response from the Middlesex County Hazardous Materials Team, who came to the scene, Ryan said.

Around 3,000 students and staff evacuated the building on Friday.

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