Gum with ‘levels of pepper’ prompts emergency response at Orange school

ORANGE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – An investigation is underway after some gum led to an emergency response at a Franklin County school.

In a message to families, Ralph C. Mahar Regional and Union 73 School District Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Zielinski said that there was an emergency response at the Dexter Park Innovation School on Tuesday after some students ingested a gum that contained “levels of pepper.”

The gum, which Zielinski explained was purchased online by a student and offered to other students during recess, led to digestive issues, including burning in the mouth and throat. Also, some students who didn’t chew the gum experienced immediate skin reactions and eye irritation, if they touched their eyes after touching the gum.

According to Orange Fire Chief James Young, Jr., the bubble gum is sold over the counter on popular online retailers like Amazon and is measured at 16 million Scoville units. That is as hot as pepper spray and can cause skin irritation and respiratory and airway inflammation.

Chief Young Jr. said that after a call came in from the school resource officer, first responders transported six kids to the hospital and at least four children were transported by their own guardians.

He told Western Mass News that there is an added concern for some students in a situation like this.

“The thing that we worry about is students with underlying medical conditions, such as asthma or pre-existing respiratory conditions,” he said. “When they inhale something like that, it can exacerbate their current medical condition.”

“Appropriate action was taken to ensure the safety of our students,” Zielinski added, saying that an investigation is ongoing and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.

We also spoke with one woman who said that her daughter was one of the six children taken to the hospital in an ambulance. While she did not want to be featured on camera, she said that her daughter only smelled the gum and her cheeks were extremely swollen and red. Luckily, she is already home from the hospital.

Coming up at 10 and 11 p.m., we will hear more from parents and find out what school officials had to say.