Release of Irritant Probably Accidental

The release of an airborne irritant--possibly pepper spray or Mace--at a Thousand Oaks restaurant was probably accidental, Ventura County Fire Department officials said Thursday.

Authorities initially speculated that someone had released a toxic chemical into the ventilation system at the Lotus Garden on East Thousand Oaks Boulevard after nearly 30 people complained of eye and throat irritation Wednesday about 7:30 p.m., said fire spokesman Joe Luna.

But investigators have found no containers of spray, and apparently no one saw anyone deliberately spraying anything, officials said.

“Maybe [the container] was on someone’s belt loop or in their purse” when the contents were released, Luna said. “Probably someone will find an empty spray can and figure out, ‘Hey, that was me.’ ”

Sheriff’s investigators, meanwhile, continued to interview restaurant employees and customers Thursday, said spokesman Sgt. Rod Mendoza. Detectives also are looking into the possibility that the irritant may have been cooking-related, Mendoza said.

Six people were taken to local hospitals and they have all been treated and released, according to spokeswomen from Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo.

In addition to fire engines, eight American Medical Response ambulances--four from Ventura County and four from Los Angeles County--went to the scene, said paramedic John Wilson. Customers were evacuated from the restaurant and told to sit down outside to let the air relieve their symptoms. Wilson said rinsing eyes with massive amounts of water is the best remedy.

Though Lotus Garden employee Nork Huang suffered some eye irritation, he said he was feeling fine on Thursday.

“It felt like hot chili peppers in my eyes,” he said. “All of a sudden, everybody was coughing and customers ran outside.”