The metro delay heading in the direction of Henri-Bourassa was in no way indicative of the event metro-goers would later ensue on their way to the Atwater station at 8:15 pm on Tuesday, November 6.
A delay. No big deal, right? Right.
For many passengers, it was just a regular day, until banging on the metro doors woke everyone from their reverie. It appeared that a group of people, about four metro cars down from the back, were pounding the doors and coughing.
This was no ordinary coughing fit. The air burnt the nasal cavity, clogged the throat and a light numbing feeling occurred. Arriving at the Atwater station, people ran from the cars toward the stairs. Three collapsed to the ground, unable to keep running.
Others sprinted towards the front of the metro, hoping the “bad air” would not follow them, waiting to escape at the next stop.
Throughout this whole ordeal, not a single security officer was seen. Whether this event was only experienced by those at the end of the metro cannot be known.
A similar incident occurred in 2001 at Berri-Uqam metro. According to Montreal police, an unidentified male released a tear gas canister in the metro. Due to ventilation, it spread rapidly. Several people collapsed, many vomited and about 40 were treated for breathing problems in hospital.
Could this November 6 incident be a mild version of Berri-Uqam?
