MINNEOLA, Fla. – Several Lake County elementary students fell ill Friday morning after riding a bus to school.
According to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, a 911 call was made around 8:40 a.m. requesting that emergency crews head to Minneola Elementary School.
Deputies said several students went to the school office saying they weren't feeling well after getting off their bus, which contained a chemical smell.
Deputies said a canister of pesticide on the bus may have caused the smell.
"It was an insecticide, Malathion," said Chris Patton of Lake County Schools.
Deputies are investigating why the insecticide was on the bus and how it got sprayed. The school district said Malathion is not used by the school district. The bus driver will on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.
According to the National Pesticide Information Center, people who were exposed to enough malathion can become sick, vomit, had muscle tremors, cramps, weakness, shortness of breath, a slowed heart rate, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.