Approximately 30 passengers were evacuated from Simonis metro station in Brussels on Saturday evening after experiencing breathing difficulties and feeling unwell, according to the city’s fire brigade.
The incident occurred at around 21:30. Emergency personnel examined 15 affected individuals on-site, while two were transported to hospital for further treatment.
Authorities suspect the use of pepper spray may have caused the issue. The station was immediately evacuated, and metro services at the stop were suspended.
A security perimeter was set up by federal police with the support of the Brussels-West police zone, while the Red Cross assisted during the intervention. Three mobile emergency units and five ambulances were deployed to the scene.
The station reopened at 22:45. Initial investigations, including video surveillance analysis, suggest that pepper spray was discharged, spreading the irritant throughout the station’s infrastructure. The investigation remains ongoing.
