Updated: Lexington school evacuated after students, staff affected by irritant.

Tates Creek Middle students and staff were evacuated and relocated to Tates Creek High School and one person was taken to the hospital due to an unknown odor shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday, according to Fayette County Public Schools.

By noon, district officials said “at this time, officials believe that the source of the odor was pepper spray.”

District officials did not immediately say why they suspected that the irritant was pepper spray. In an updated message to families shortly before 1 p.m., district officials said the odor was originally detected in a student bathroom.

Maj. Jessica Bowman said firefighters were dispatched to the school just after 10 a.m. for a report of an unknown substance in the school. The substance was acting as an irritant to people in the building, causing itchiness, watery eyes and a scratchy throat, Bowman said. Bowman said the fire department couldn’t say with certainty what the substance was.

“We have had a few staff members report throat irritation, and one student began having difficulty breathing and was transported via ambulance for additional medical treatment,” district spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall said around noon.

“Emergency vehicles and officials are on the scene conducting an investigation into the source of the odor and are available to provide support as needed,” Deffendall said. “The levels of the irritant are decreasing quickly and we plan to return to the building and resume instruction within the hour.”

The odor was detected inside the middle school building only. The elementary school and high school buildings were not impacted, she said.

Firefighters have been working to isolate the area of the building impacted and air levels are returning to normal on their own, according to Bowman. Firefighters will continue ventilating the building until the substance is gone, which is when students and faculty will be allowed to return to the building.

Everyone is safe and waiting at the Tates Creek High School building, Fayette school officials said.

“At this time, we ask that you do not come to the Tates Creek campus as safety officials are trying to clear the building,” officials wrote in a letter to families Thursday morning.

Emergency vehicles were seen on campus.

Bowman said there is low concern that the unknown substance could return in the future. Firefighters were still on scene just before noon.

Lunch was provided to students in the high school gym and by 1 p.m., students began returning to the middle school.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

This story was originally published January 19, 2023 at 11:36 AM.