A routine day at San Ysidro High School turned unsettling today when an unidentified chemical was discovered on campus, sending five adults to the hospital and drawing a hazardous-materials response. Students were not reported affected and the campus was not evacuated, according to officials. A custodian on scene reportedly covered the substance with dirt before hazmat crews arrived to investigate.
Dispatchers received a call from the 5353 Airway Road campus about someone who had come into contact with the chemical and experienced nausea, prompting a medical and hazmat response, according to FOX 5 San Diego. The outlet reported that five adults were transported to local hospitals and that the substance remained unidentified as crews worked to determine what it was. Emergency personnel requested a hazardous-materials team to secure and test the scene.
Hazmat response
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's Hazardous Incident Response Team is the unit that tackles chemical emergencies throughout the county, partnering with the County Department of Environmental Health and Quality for testing and investigations. San Diego Fire-Rescue describes the team as a Type-1 unit trained to identify, contain and mitigate hazardous materials. At scenes like this, crews follow decontamination and evidence-collection procedures while specialists work to identify whatever substance has been found.
School context and safety
San Ysidro High School, located at 5353 Airway Road in San Diego, serves students in the Sweetwater Union High School District. The campus address and contact details are listed on San Ysidro High School's website. FOX 5 San Diego reported that the school was not evacuated and that students were not reported to be affected during the incident.
Officials have not publicly identified the chemical or released updates on the conditions of the hospitalized adults. Early reports left their status unclear. This story will be updated if authorities release additional information.
