Horror as 9 children rushed to hospital after 'mass casualty incident' injuring 11 more
A significant incident unfolded at a German school where nine children were taken to the hospital after exposure to pepper spray, resulting in injuries to an additional eleven students. The event occurred on Tuesday afternoon at a school in Langenfeld, a town in North Rhine-Westphalia. Emergency services responded quickly to reports of the incident, which caused panic and disruption among students and staff.
The chaos erupted when a canister of pepper spray was discharged in a corridor, leading to numerous children experiencing "severe eye irritation," according to officials. Emergency responders arrived on the scene and provided immediate care to those affected, with several requiring additional treatment at local medical facilities.
Local authorities indicated that the situation escalated quickly. “Initially we were told one person was injured, but it quickly became clear that several children were suffering severe eye irritation,” an official reported. Parents received notifications and were urged not to approach the school until the situation was fully assessed.
Emergency services continued to investigate how the pepper spray was brought into the school and the circumstances leading to its release. Students and staff members were evacuated as a precaution while medical evaluations were conducted. The incident has raised serious concerns regarding safety in schools and the potential risks posed by hazardous materials.
Local police have appealed for witnesses to come forward with any information about the event. Statements from school officials emphasized the need for stringent safety protocols to prevent future occurrences of such dangerous incidents.