Hunt for ‘teenage’ chemical attacker: Pizza Hut staff ‘gasped for air and felt ill’ minutes after yob sprayed substance from plastic bottle before striking nearby Tesco and McDonald’s
- Attack happened on three premises in Upper Gornal just after 7pm last night
- Pizza Hut, Tesco and McDonald’s were all targeted by a masked man
- Emergency crews rushed to reports of ‘unknown chemical substance’ attack
- Were you caught up in the incident? Email [email protected]
A man is being hunted by police after he ran into restaurants and shops spraying a chemical which left 15 people unable to breathe.
Hazmat crews rushed to a Pizza Hut, Tesco and McDonald’s in Upper Gornal, West Mids, after the ‘unknown substance’ was deployed inside after 7pm last night.
One victim was so badly affected they had to be taken to hospital for treatment after the attack. The other 14 were looked at by experts at the scene.
Today West Midlands Police were combing through CCTV footage to try and find the identity of the person responsible.
Fire crews responding to the chemical incident outside a branch of Pizza Hut in Upper Gornal, West Midlands. The attack left 15 people fighting for breath, with one taken to hospital.
A worker from the takeaway Pizza Hut outlet targeted by a teenager spraying chemicals has described how he felt sick and unable to breathe after the attack.
The man, who asked not to be named, said: ‘There were three of us working in here with one customer waiting when this man walked in. He just started spraying this substance out of a small plastic bottle.
‘It didn’t smell or produce a cloud, but after a minute we started reacting to it by coughing and he just walked off. I think he was waiting to see a reaction.
‘I felt like I could not breathe. I came outside and thought I was going to be sick.’
The attacker was described as a white teenager and it is believed that he first sprayed a nearby McDonald’s Restaurant before hitting the Pizza Hut and then a Tesco Express on the same precinct.
A passer-by, who witnessed the scene shortly after 7pm on Tuesday night, said: ‘There were lots of police cars and a couple of ambulances. It looked like a very big deal, as if the Novichok poisonings had come to the Black Country.
‘There were 14 people affected and they all got taken into the BetFred for treatment. I have no idea what it was all about.’
One of those affected was bad enough to require hospital treatment.
The Pizza Hut worker added: ‘We had to close the store and we are not opening up again until 4pm after having a deep clean to the premises.’
Fire crews and police outsie the West Midlands shopping parade following the 7pm attack on unsuspecting shoppers and diners
999 crews at the scene of the chemcial attack last night. Police are now looking at CCTV in a bid to trace the masked assailant who burst into shops and sprayed the mystery substance
Local Glen Simms wrote online: ‘Apparently acid attacks in Tesco, Pizza Hut and the betting shop in Upper Gornal.
‘Police, fire and ambulances there and some in hazmat suits. It looks like at least one person in the hospital.
‘It’s so frightening and pretty much on the doorstep too. You can’t take your safety walking around a supermarket for granted anymore.’
Police are currently exploring leads on who the attacker might be although they are unsure the motive for targeting the three venues.
A spokesman said: ‘We are investigating after an unknown substance was sprayed in three business premises in Upper Gornal just after 7pm last night.
‘Paramedics treated 14 people at the scene with breathing difficulties and one other was taken to hospital. Fortunately none have suffered any lasting effects.
‘We are fast-tracking CCTV enquiries and speaking to witnesses. Forensics experts have examined each premises to establish the nature of the substance.’
Forensic experts are understood to be analysing the substance today to try and find out what was in it.
A number of chemicals can create the problem of causing people to struggle to breathe.
West Midlands Ambulance Service were called to reports of an ‘unknown chemical substance’.
A spokesman said: ‘We were called to reports of an unknown chemical being sprayed at Pizza Hut in Upper Gornal at 7.23pm last night, one ambulance, two paramedic officers and our Hazardous Area Response Team attended the scene.
‘On arrival at the scene it became evident that the chemical had been also sprayed at two other locations, Tesco and McDonalds.
‘In total, 15 patients self-presented to our members of staff, 14 of whom were discharged at the scene.
‘One patient, a man, was treated for symptoms at the scene before being taken to Russell’s Hall Hospital for further assessment.’