The trigger incident: Robbery in a lift
Casualties and emergency response
A total of 21 people suffered breathing difficulties, eye irritation, or coughing, with five taken to hospital, though none with life-threatening injuries, according to British media reports,
This prompted a massive emergency mobilisation:
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Armed police flooded the car park
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Firefighters and paramedics treated victims
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Access roads and tunnels around the airport were shut
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Elizabeth Line and shuttle transport were temporarily suspended
The dramatic scene captured earlier — armed police moving through a gridlocked car park — now aligns with what was unfolding.