Several people at a Darwin bar were left to deal with the effects of contamination from pepper spray after a 36-year-old woman discharged the legally purchased canister during a brawl with a 21-year-old woman early Sunday morning, NT Police said, which also involved a bystander struck with a stool that was thrown by one of the women.

The incident occurred around 4:20am Sunday morning at a licensed premises on Edmunds Street in the CBD, believed to be Mayberry.

Police said in a statement on Sunday afternoon that the incident started when the two women engaged in a fight inside the bar that was at first broken up by security.

However, a short time later, police said the 36-year-old woman sprayed the 21-year-old with her personal canister of OC spray that was legally purchased as part of the CLP Government’s ongoing 12-month trial that started earlier this month.

Police said a security guard was “able to minimise the exposure of the spray by smothering the stream with his hand”, however “several people suffered minor effects from secondary contamination of the spray”.

The 21-year-old also allegedly threw a nearby barstool at the 36-year-old woman, instead hitting another person.

The older woman was charged with aggravated assault and fighting in a public place. The younger woman was also charged with fighting in a public place, police said.

Both women were arrested, but later granted bail to appear at Darwin Local Court on October 16.

“The OC spray used was purchased legally in the Northern Territory and the 36-year-old was the recorded purchaser of the spray,” NT Police media director Mark Wilton said in a statement. “It has been seized by police.

“Investigations are ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference P25259310. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”