Dozens of supermarket customers fell ill in Germany's eastern state of Saxony on Saturday after inhaling what media outlets described as "irritant gas."

What do we know about the incident?

Customers were doing their grocery shopping in a supermarket in Saxony's town of Waldheim when unknown people sprayed the gas, German media reported. A police statement said an "unknown substance" was released into the supermarket.

Forty-one people experienced breathing problems, including shortness of breath. Fifteen of them were hospitalized.

Fire trucks, ambulances, and police went to the supermarket. Media reports say that the German Red Cross (DRC) was also called.

The supermarket was closed following the incident.

The Chemnitz criminal investigation department was probing probing the unknown substance and the circumstances of the incident.

 

rmt/lo (dpa, DW sources)