Chemicals used at San Bruno jail during a training exercise leaked into the community Tuesday, affecting students and staff at a nearby elementary school, according to the San Francisco Sheriff's Office.
At about 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, a planned public safety training involving tear gas and pepper spray extended beyond the designated training area, a sheriff's spokesperson said.
Gas from inside the jail structure drifted outside to nearby Portola Elementary School, where teachers and students reported experiencing symptoms, including burning sensations in the eyes, nose and throat, the sheriff's official said. No one required hospitalization.
The sheriff's office said it had notified San Bruno police and fire departments prior to the routine tactical training within the San Bruno jail property.
The training involved the testing of chemical agents including CS (2-chlorobenzylidene malonitrile) gas and OC gas, or oleoresin capsicum, commonly known as pepper spray.
"We sincerely apologize to Portola Elementary School, its faculty and students, and their families for this unforeseen event which must have been especially scary for children," a sheriff's statement said. "Members of our command staff visited the school in person to explain what happened, and to apologize for the mishap.
"In light of this incident, the department is pausing all future chemical agent training exercises while it reviews current practices to make it safer for our neighbors and minimize any impacts on the community."
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It's the first time in more than 20 years of the tactical training that a chemical leak has occurred, the sheriff's office said.
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