Shock in Gerstetten: 16-year-old sprays irritant gas at school!

Shock in Gerstetten: 16-year-old sprays irritant gas at school!

In a worrying incident at a school in Gerstetten, Heidenheim district, on October 1, 2025, a 16-year-old student sprayed irritant gas in a men's toilet. At around 11:30 a.m., 26 people felt unwell and complained of breathing difficulties. Rescue workers were immediately alerted and came to the scene to examine the affected students. However, after the investigations, the all-clear was given: everyone was allowed to leave school again after no serious health risks were identified, reports Swabian Post.

The police have started an investigation against the suspected perpetrator, the 16-year-old student. This investigation will also examine whether other people were involved in the incident. The police initially did not provide any information about the exact background to what happened.

Comparison with similar incidents

Such events are not without risk. For example, there was recently a similar incident in Berlin-Schöneberg in which nine students and two teachers were slightly injured by irritant gas. Here too, the police and fire brigade were on duty after an acrid smell was noticed. The fire department was on site with 85 personnel to deal with the incident and although a helicopter was called, it was not used. The students and teachers were able to go outside on their own, and the gas was able to escape quickly by quickly ventilating the school rbb24 reported.

In both cases, the responses of emergency services demonstrate the importance of a rapid and coordinated response to such incidents. While all those affected in Gerstetten were released after an examination, two students in Berlin waited for outpatient treatment in a clinic on their own initiative.

Role of schools and security measures

These incidents raise questions about safety in schools and highlight the need for preventive measures. Educational institutions must ensure that their students can learn in a safe environment. The police in Heidenheim have already announced that they will investigate the background to the incident in more detail and identify possible security gaps that could encourage such acts.

Until the incidents and circumstances are clarified, awareness of safety in schools remains a constant issue - for parents as well as school authorities and authorities.