© RTL
On Monday morning in Esch-sur-Alzette, a major police operation took place near the Hospital Centre Emile Mayrisch (CHEM) following reports of an armed individual allegedly attempting to enter the building.
According to witnesses at the scene, police officers were stationed at every corner, some visibly armed with assault rifles. Traffic in Esch was also disrupted as a result.
Dr René Metz, director of the CHEM, told RTL that the police had received a warning about a person with a weapon intending to enter the hospital. In response, a security operation was swiftly deployed to seal off the site, he said. According to Dr Metz, the situation was resolved within just over an hour.
Several eyewitnesses told RTL that shortly after 7am, a sense of urgency took hold inside the hospital. Patients were asked to move in and out quickly, though no further details were provided at the time.
The police also confirmed that they were informed at around 7.15am that "a person at the CHEM had made certain statements in relation to possible criminal acts". As a precaution, several police units were deployed to the scene to investigate the claims, which ultimately could not be verified, the police said. The police further clarified that there was no threat to the public at any point. The operation was fully concluded by around 9am, and further measures have been initiated in response to the false alarm, according to the police.
Dr René Metz also emphasised that incidents involving armed individuals at hospitals are becoming increasingly frequent. He said that in future, it will likely be necessary to organise joint simulation exercises with the police to further improve coordination even though, according to him, Monday morning's operation had gone smoothly.
When contacted, police stated they would provide an official statement about the incident later in the morning.
