School Will Reopen After Pepper Spray Incident

September 25, 2007 - 5:36pm

WASHINGTON - An elementary school will reopen Wednesday, a day after an incident involving pepper spray closed the building and sent 15 people to the hospital.

There is still no word on who unleashed pepper spray on the third floor of Walker Jones Elementary School in Northwest at around 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The pepper spray was potent enough to make 14 children children and one adult sick. The injured were taken to Children's Hospital with eye and respiratory irritations, but they have since been released.

Walker Jones was evacuated after the incident, but D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin says the school will be ready in the morning.

"We have completely ventilated the building...," Rubin says. "We've also brought in the Department of Health and the Department of Environment. They've given the building a clean bill of health."

Rubin and D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee say all departments worked remarkably well together during the incident.

WASHINGTON - An elementary school will reopen Wednesday, a day after an incident involving pepper spray closed the building and sent 15 people to the hospital.

There is still no word on who unleashed pepper spray on the third floor of Walker Jones Elementary School in Northwest at around 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Walker Jones was evacuated after the incident, but D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin says the school will be ready in the morning.

"We have completely ventilated the building...," Rubin says. "We've also brought in the Department of Health and the Department of Environment. They've given the building a clean bill of health."

Rubin and D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee say all departments worked remarkably well together during the incident.

< Back