Mercury was found spilled in a science classroom at Carson High School Wednesday afternoon, according to Carson School District Director of Operations Mike Mitchell.

Carson City Fire Chief Stacey Giomi said 22 students and a teacher were isolated at the school to be checked out by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. He said the amount of mercury found was less than half a milliliter, and not enough to be dangerous.

Giomi said the clothing of some students was confiscated for decontamination. Mitchell says the students' parents either brought them clothing to wear, or they were given gowns.

This isn't the first mercury spill at Carson High. In 2005, a broken blood pressure machine was blamed for a spill that shut down the school about a day and a half. No one was harmed in that incident either, which KOLO reported cost $25,000 to clean up. Mitchell said the incident resulted in a ban on mercury at CHS, making how Wednesday's spill happened a mystery.

"Did a student bring it in accidentally? On purpose? We don't know," Mitchell said.

Mitchell said students will be questioned on the matter.

He also said Carson High will be open Wednesday, but the room where the mercury was found may remain closed for abatement efforts.