BVNW was evacuated today at 3:15 p.m. after mace was accidentally released in the 100 hallway, according to principal Amy Murphy.

Murphy said administration’s first reaction was to shut down the ventilation system in order to contain the mace. She said emergency responders were then contacted to aid in the investigation.

“The police department was called, the fire department was called to come in and help us determine if some kind of organic, foreign substance had been released and, if possible, to be able to identify what that was,” Murphy said.

Murphy said in their investigation, officials identified the student responsible, contacted the student and determined the incident was accidental. She was not able to confirm how officials identified the student.

Emergency medical technicians were also called to BVNW. Murphy said they treated students who were feeling the effects of being exposed to mace. She said administration is not aware of any students that needed to go to the hospital.

Junior Alishka Rojas said she felt a pain in her throat while in the building after school today.

“I started coughing a little bit, but other than that it wasn’t super bad because I wasn’t near the 100 hallway, I was more in the junior locker area, but I could still feel a little bit of it,” Rojas said.

Murphy said activities for the remainder of the day will resume as planned and the affected hallway is being cleaned.

“The custodians are cleaning [the 100 hallway], everything is good to go,” Murphy said. “We’re on track to have school tomorrow.”

Students in possession of pepper spray or mace are in violation of school board policy 3500.