A 15-year-old boy was left in critical condition after inhaling fumes from a mixture of toxic chemicals he allegedly brought from home to Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, Oregon. The incident occurred in the school cafeteria on Tuesday morning, prompting an emergency response, an evacuation of pupils, and cancellation of classes the following day, highlighting the serious safety risks posed by unauthorised chemicals on school premises.

Emergency crews arrived at around 8.30am and took over lifesaving efforts from a school nurse who had been performing CPR on the teenager. He was taken to Legacy Emanuel Hospital, where he remains critical but is expected to survive, according to police. A hazardous materials team neutralised the spilled liquid, unlabelled jugs of which had been mixed on the cafeteria floor, while students were moved to a nearby park before being sent home. Authorities are investigating, including reviewing a related social media post, and normal school scheduling is due to resume on Thursday.