Fumes Send 43 People to Local Hospitals (PHOTO SERIES)

It is believed that the illnesses happened because a volunteer parent was preparing for an art project and used Krylon Crystal Clear acrylic spray before school started.

Photos courtesy: Gert Zoutendijk/Lake Oswego Fire

(LAKE OSWEGO) - Westridge Elementary School Principal Dr. Scott Lane contacted the fire department about an odor in the school this morning at 10:23 a.m. and before the day was over, over 40 people would be transported for inhaling what were at first, untraceable fumes.

"They could not find a source at that time one student was complaining of nausea and dizziness," Lake Oswego Fire Department Spokesman Gert Zoutendijk said.

He says that when Truck 211 arrived, it was the first unit on scene, and they quickly noticed the situation was more than just one student sick.

"Within 2 minutes there were a total of 7 people complaining of the same symptoms. The firefighters escalated the response to a full hazardous material response and soon after that declared the incident an MCI" which Zoutendijk explains is a Mass Casualty Incident.

Lake Oswego Fire Department sent all available resources and was assisted by Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and Portland Fire.

"The hazardous material team searched the building for a cause while other firefighters triaged all patients in front of the school," Zoutendijk said.

But the specialized equipment used did not detect any harmful or toxic fumes in the school.

It is believed that before school started a volunteer parent was preparing for an art project and used Krylon Crystal Clear acrylic spray which caused the illnesses, according to Zoutendijk.

"A total of 43 people were transported. 24 students and 3 adults were transported to Emanuel Hospital; 7 students were transported to OHSU; 3 students were transported to Portland Providence; 3 students were transported to Good Sam; 3 students were transported to St. Vincent's and 1 student was transported to Meridian Park."

He says 22 of the people were transported in a school bus to Emanuel and all others were transported by 8 different ambulances.

Lake Oswego Police assisted with traffic control in this residential neighborhood with the large amount of emergency vehicles and parents trying to pick up their children.