Several Injured After Refrigerant Leak on Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse.

A refrigerant leak triggered a major emergency response in central Zurich on Tuesday afternoon, injuring multiple people and forcing the evacuation of hundreds from the busy Bahnhofstrasse area.

Emergency services transported four people to hospital after they reported dizziness and feeling unwell. Another 12 individuals received treatment at the scene, according to officials from Zurich Protection and Rescue.

The incident occurred at the Coop City Annahof shopping centre, which authorities evacuated along with nearby areas. Around 300 people were moved to safety as firefighters, police officers, and ambulance crews responded in large numbers.

Witnesses reported seeing white and black smoke coming from the building shortly after 3pm, while alarm systems also alerted emergency responders.

Investigators later confirmed that approximately 30 kilograms of refrigerant leaked from a refrigeration system located inside a sealed technical room within the building.

Firefighters managed to stop the leak and declared the building safe after roughly two hours of emergency operations. Nearby public transport services were temporarily suspended during the response.

Authorities continue to examine the exact cause of the leak, while emphasizing that the rapid evacuation helped prevent more serious injuries.