Students Hospitalized

Thirty students from a New Jersey high school have been sent to hospitals for observation following a chemistry experiment that went awry.

Authorities at Egg Harbor Township High School near Atlantic City say that about noon Tuesday a chemistry class experiment produced a dark brown smoke and a byproduct suspected to be nitrogen dioxide.

Atlantic County Emergency Management Director Vincent Jones says the cloud was expelled out of the building without going into other rooms.

But after the class ended the instructor began to feel ill and went to the nurse's office for evaluation. After that they brought the students from the class in and took them to hospitals in Atlantic City, Hammonton and Pomona.

Authorities say one student became physically ill; two others felt nauseated.

The school was let out early so hazmat crews could determine that the building is safe for students to return to on Wednesday.

School officials said this is the second time that the school has had a problem with a chemical experiment and that all chemical experiments have been suspended until safety precautions can be reviewed.

Author: NBC10/AP