Two people were hospitalized Tuesday after a punctured can of bear mace filled a Millinocket home, causing the occupants breathing trouble and eye irritation.
Three people from the single-family home on Colony Place were evacuated, and two of them were taken to a nearby hospital, Orono’s Public Safety Director Geoff Low said. It’s unclear whether they have been released.
People from five nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution while agencies worked to figure out what was causing the chemical leak, Low said. Residents of three other homes were asked to shelter in place.
Milliocket’s fire department received a call about the chemical leak, then requested Orono’s hazmat team for assistance about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Low said.
Readings were inconclusive and showed oxidizer, which is a common substance found in bleach and drain cleaners. A commercial drain cleaning company had recently been in the home, he said. Agencies considered a wide range of substances that could have caused the chemical leak, including explosives and illicit drug manufacturing, he said.
“We called a lot of people in to assist because it was hard to get a good read,” he said. “Eventually we went in and found a large can of bear mace that was punctured at some point and was filling the house with chemical irritants.”
With an agent like bear mace, it’s recommended that mattresses, pillows and some other furniture be thrown away because they absorb chemicals and people can be exposed again, Low said. Clothing can usually be washed, he said.
“As I understand, the whole house was full of the agent, so it’s unclear how much they’ll be able to salvage,” he said.