Hazmat team dispatched after students on Rio Bravo School District bus exposed to chemical

A Kern County Fire Department hazmat response team responded to a school bus after about 50 students were exposed to a chemical spray on Monday at around 3:45 p.m.

According to KCFD Pubic Information Officer Andrew Freeborn, the hazmat team was dispatched to a Rio Bravo School District bus after something was sprayed on the bus. Authorities declared it a Level 3 incident due to the amount that was sprayed and the concern that it may have been a pesticide. After investigating, it was determined that the chemical was pepper spray.

Two dozen students were treated by the KCFD and Hall Ambulance on the scene. An unknown number of students were transported to a nearby hospital.

Freeborn noted that the large response team was the result of children being involved. The ages of the students involved is not known at this time.