Around 21:30 on Saturday night, 23 May, passengers waiting on the platforms of Simonis-Elisabeth metro station on Line 6 suddenly began coughing and complaining of burning eyes and throats. Brussels fire-and-rescue services, alerted by the station agent, rapidly evacuated the premises and set up an air-extraction protocol to clear the irritant. Preliminary CCTV analysis indicates that pepper spray (OC spray) was discharged inside a carriage just before it reached Simonis. Because carriages share the same ventilation circuit, the aerosol spread quickly through the train and onto the platform. Fifteen people were treated on-site for respiratory irritation; two were taken to Saint-Pierre hospital for observation. No life-threatening injuries were reported. Federal police established a security perimeter with support from the Brussels-West police zone while forensic teams collected residue samples. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage to identify the suspect who released the spray; intentional release of a noxious substance in a public space carries a prison term of up to two years under Belgian law. STIB-MIVB suspended service through Simonis for roughly 75 minutes, forcing late-evening passengers to divert via Yser or Elisabeth. Although services resumed at 22:45, the incident added to a string of recent disruptions that have dented traveller confidence ahead of next week’s EU ministerial meetings in the capital. For mobility managers, the episode is a reminder to build redundancy into Brussels ground-transport plans—especially for late-night shifts and conference transfers—and to keep employees aware of emergency exits and alternative routing in the metro network.
Source: The Brussels Times
