Northeast Portland’s Benson Polytechnic High School was evacuated Tuesday morning after a chemical spill in the cafeteria.

Police said a student inhaled a toxic mixture of chemicals he had brought from home, and then he spilled some of that mixture on the floor.

The 15-year-old boy was treated at the scene hospitalized in critical condition. On Wednesday morning, Portland police announced he is expected to survive.

Police had reported Tuesday that the student drank the chemical mixture; they clarified on Wednesday that he inhaled it.

Portland Police Chief Bob Day also acknowledged Wednesday that staff and students responded heroically in the immediate aftermath after the incident.

And he said the goals of the investigation are to find the intent of the student and to mitigate any further impacts to the Benson High community.

Portland Fire & Rescue Chief Lauren Johnson the exact contents and the combination of the chemical mixture is still unknown to fire investigators.

But she reiterated that smelling the odor of the mixture does not mean people inhaled enough to be sick. Officials also said the chemicals used in the mixture were likely common household chemicals.

Portland Fire & Rescue and medical crews were initially called to the school at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. They noted within minutes that the spill was contained within the cafeteria.

The school was evacuated so emergency responders could evaluate the building and identify the chemicals involved.

PF&R spokesperson Rick Graves said up to 200 students and staff members were evaluated on nearby athletic fields. He said no other people were injured or sickened as a result of the incident.

Graves also said a hazardous materials crew was able to neutralize the chemicals that had spilled.

All classes and activities at Benson were canceled Tuesday and Wednesday. School is expected to resume as normal on Thursday morning.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/09/09/police-student-involved-in-chemical-spill-at-benson-high-school-expected-to-survive/