Several staff members at Lewisham Police Station, including a police officer, have fallen ill after being exposed to a substance believed to be tear gas, prompting an emergency response.
On March 16, an officer and two police staff members required treatment after feeling unwell in the custody suite of Lewisham Police Station. They were attending to three individuals in custody who were suspected of being sprayed with a substance, identified as a form of CS, during an aggravated burglary in Wricklemarsh Road, Blackheath.
As a precautionary measure, the custody suite was temporarily closed following the incident.
Later that day, around 6:30 pm, an additional five staff members also reported feeling unwell, displaying similar symptoms to those in the earlier incident.
In response to these developments, the custody suite has been shut down, and all detainees have been relocated to other police stations in south London.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police stated, “On the morning of Saturday, 16 March, a police officer and two members of police staff received medical treatment after becoming unwell in the custody suite at Lewisham police station. They were in the process of dealing with three detainees who are believed to have been sprayed with a substance, believed to be a form of CS, during an aggravated burglary. The custody suite was temporarily closed as a precaution. At about 18:30 hrs on the same day, five members of staff required medical treatment after becoming unwell with the same symptoms. The custody suite has been closed and all detainees moved to other south London police stations. At this stage, the two incidents are being linked.”
Authorities are currently investigating the incidents and working to determine the exact nature of the substance involved.
