Flights resume at Hamburg Airport after unknown substance, likely pepper spray, shuts it down

Hamburg, Germany – Flights have resumed at Hamburg Airport, after an “unknown hazardous material” believed now to be pepper spray, spread through the air ventilation system forcing authorities to evacuate the airport. 68 people have been treated and local authorities have deemed it to not be a terrorist incident.

At 12.32 local time, Sunday (12th February), people began complaining about breathing issues, burning eyes, and nausea. Upon initiation of an air quality check using the airport’s monitoring systems, authorities discovered an unknown toxin that was spreading in the air. Airport emergency responders began evacuating the airport immediately, fearing it was under attack from a chemical compound. Hundreds of passengers were shuttled out of the airport under controlled forms into a quarantined area in hangers outside of the airport secured area.

After the scare, Flughafen Hamburg recently announced that operations have resumed, and that pepper spray is suspected as the cause of breathing difficulties.

Flight operations have resumed at Hamburg Airport / Pepper spray suspected as cause of breathing difficulties. Info: https://t.co/vx9rkNLvjR pic.twitter.com/HQhb0rV62b

— Hamburg Airport (@HamburgAirport) February 12, 2017

According to Rene Schönhardt, spokesman for the Hamburg police, a cartridge containing pepper spray was found in a bin provided for travelers to dispose of liquids before boarding.

Apart from determining those responsible, a critical question remains of just how such a substance was introduced into the airport’s air ventilation system. Werner Nölken, a spokesman for the Hamburg fire department stated, “We are not assuming a terrorist attack … some clown, for whatever reason” released pepper spray into an air-conditioning vent, causing the substance to spread.

German authorities remain on high alert since the Dec. 19 Berlin attack on a Christmas market that left 12 dead and dozens injured.

Image Hamburg Airport evacuation