NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Emergency responders were treating several students after an incident at Liberty High School for Newcomers in Chelsea.

It all took place at around 1:30 p.m. Friday. A man entered the school illegally looking for a former teacher, according to police.

Sources told CBS 2 the man is a 24-year-old former student.

When he was questioned by school safety officers, the man grabbed a fire extinguisher off the wall and ran upstairs spraying the extinguisher as he went, sources said.

“There were kids dangling out of the window. They were on their phones, they were crying. At one point they screamed and one girl looked like she wasd trying to jump out. And the police were like no no no stay in,” witness Debra Fisher said.

The man was taken into custody.

Three school safety officers suffered minor injuries while subduing the suspect, sources said.

At least 14 other people, including students, were also being treated for difficulty breathing after being exposed to the cloud of extinguisher material.

The suspect was taken to Bellevue Hospital. Charges were pending.

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