Fire extinguisher falls off wall, contaminates classroom at Lane Elementary

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Several students at Lane ElementarySchool in Southeast Fresno received medical evaluations after a fire extinguisher fell off a wall and sprayed its contents into a classroom around 2 p.m. on Thursday.

The Fresno Fire Department says ten students at the school located at Lowe and Reaction Avenues were experiencing symptoms after breathing in the fire extinguisher powder.

The fourth graders were evacuated to the baseball field, where EMS crews evaluated them.

Ten of those students reported some respiratory issues, and one was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Josh Sellers with the Fresno Fire Department told Action News, "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."

Fire officials said they don't know how the extinguisher fell off the wall.

Fresno Fire worked with Fresno Unified to contact parents about the incident and get their children home safely.

Students waited in the cafeteria for their parents to pick them up.

Action News has contacted the district to see if that classroom will resume everyday activities on Friday, but we have yet to hear back.