Emergency services closed the main hall of the Klagenfurt train station in Austria after the deployment of an irritant substance, according to local media reports. Travelers reported respiratory difficulties, leading to a security operation to clear the area and identify the source of the gas.
What caused the closure at Klagenfurt station?
The disruption began when an unknown substance was sprayed within the station’s main hall, according to reports from derStandard.de and Salzburger Nachrichten. While some initial reports described the agent as a generic “irritating substance,” the Kronen Zeitung and kaernten.ORF.at specifically identified the trigger as pepper spray or an irritant gas.
Authorities responded by sealing off the hall to prevent further exposure and allow for a safety sweep of the premises. The operation focused on containing the area where the gas was released to ensure the environment was safe for public reentry.
How were travelers affected by the incident?
Passengers inside the terminal experienced immediate physical reactions to the airborne agent. According to the Kleine Zeitung, travelers complained of respiratory distress and irritated airways shortly after the substance was deployed.
The incident caused an immediate security alarm, forcing the evacuation of the hall and disrupting the flow of transit for passengers using the Klagenfurt hub. Local reports indicate that the primary concern for first responders was managing the respiratory complaints of those caught in the spray’s path.
