The situation in an Aachen hospital is unclear. According to police, there should be no injuries.
A “possible threatening situation” kept police and firefighters in suspense on Monday night during a large-scale operation at the Luisenhospital in the German city of Aachen. A 65-year-old woman barricaded herself in a room there. “We have no information about any injured people,” a police spokeswoman said in the evening. Speculation about a possible hostage taking has not been confirmed. Police initially did not provide any information about whether they were in contact with the woman.
There was also initially no answer to the question of whether the woman was alone in a room or possibly threatening others. Late at night, there was tension outside the hospital, which was cordoned off. Even hours after the special forces arrived late Monday afternoon, blue flashes from police cars still glowed in the dark sky.
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lit pyrotechnics
Several firefighters were also at the scene and waiting. According to police, the “suspect” was admitted to the hospital in the afternoon. Shortly after, smoke was noticed in the “near area” of the woman. Hospital rooms in the woman's immediate vicinity were evacuated. Bild newspaper reported that a woman set off pyrotechnics in the hospital. The police initially made no statement, nor did the firefighters or hospital representatives.
Behind the clinic's wrought-iron fence, operations appeared to continue, at least partially, at night, as a DPA reporter on the scene observed. Lights were still on in some of the hospital's windows; Staff in white coats ran through the hospital parking lot.
Many observers wondered why the unclear situation behind the hospital walls dragged on for so many hours without the situation being resolved. It cannot yet be said whether the woman is armed and whether she has other people under her control or whether she is specifically threatening her, a police spokeswoman said. The situation is not yet clear for this.
DPA reporters saw heavily armed and helmeted police officers at the scene, and a helicopter was also flying over the hospital. There was a stretcher with medical equipment on the street. Emergency services were provided drinks in the evening.
“Avoid the area as much as possible”
The Cologne police assumed information sovereignty in the early evening. “There will be road closures and restrictions on rail traffic. Avoid the area as much as possible,” warned police via X (formerly Twitter). In the west of the city, a section of the railway was closed on Monday night as a precaution. “Trains are waiting at suitable stations,” said DB Regio on Platform X. Delays, partial cancellations and short-term changes to the train route are possible. Passengers have been asked to check their travel connections. It is unclear how long the operation will last.
The hospital, located on the outskirts of the center, is run by a Protestant association. According to information from the company itself, patients with the most diverse diseases are treated in 15 clinics.