A large emergency response was called to the Courtenay Return-It Depot for what turned out to be an incident where a bear spray cannister was accidentally crushed.

Staff Sgt. Troy Beauregard with Comox Valley RCMP says there were a number of staff and patrons inside of the Courtenay depot when the bear spray was crushed.

“Evacuations were done, ambulance and fire helped the decontamination of those affected,” Beauregard said.

“And we’re just holding a scene right now, just to prevent further people going in while fire completes the ventilation of the premises.”

Jonathan Welsh, deputy chief of the Courtenay Fire Department, says the reports first came in as “quite a severe call.”

“Initial reports were multiple patients unconscious,” he said.

“The effects of bear spray or any kind of i

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