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Dozens of primary school children injured in mass casualty incident in Germany

Published 17:29 20 Jun 2025 BST

Updated 17:29 20 Jun 2025 BST

Dan Seddon
Dozens of primary school children injured in mass casualty incident in Germany

Homenews

Local authorities are carrying out an investigation

The Miriam Makeba Elementary School in Berlin was attacked with tear gas this morning (June 20).

German emergency services were called to the primary school at around 9am, following reports of kids suffering eye pain and "respiratory irritation".

One child in need of "clinical care" was hospitalised while 37 more were injured, per MailOnline.

Students were rushed out of the premises to be treated at the scene by medics, with local news publication BILD elaborating on a vague social media statement posted by Berlin Police.

They reported that "tear gas was sprayed in the hallway of the school building" after the force wrote: "Shortly after 9am, our emergency services were alerted to the Miriam Makeba Elementary School in Moabit.

"At least 10 children are reportedly complaining of eye and respiratory irritation. They are currently being treated by emergency personnel. The building has been evacuated and ventilated."

School studies are suspended as they investigate the cause and potential perpetrators.

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Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the local fire service claimed "several children were exposed to irritant gas" and that ambulances were deployed to the school whilst building ventilation was carried out.

"The school has been successfully ventilated and reopened," read a subsequent update. "The parents of all schoolchildren have been informed of the incident by the school administration.

"There were approximately 400 children at the elementary school, 37 of whom were assessed and treated as outpatients by our emergency services.  One child had to be transported to a hospital for further clinical care. At its peak, we were on site with 42 emergency personnel for about two hours."

This comes after a similar incident in 2024, which saw over 30 children hospitalised from a gas attack at a school in Dresden, Germany.

An "irritating gas-like substance" was sprayed throughout the establishment.

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