Eight people rushed to hospital after ‘mystery substance released in nightclub’

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Eight people have been taken to hospital after a chemical substance was reportedly released inside a nightclub in a “terrifying ordeal”.

Police were called to Pop Works in Doncaster at around 5am on Sunday morning after dozens of clubgoers were left gasping for air, prompting an evacuation.

South Yorkshire Police are now launching an investigation into the incident and have appealed for witnesses as they work to determine “what substance was let off at the location”.

The club posted on Facebook: “On the early hours of Sunday morning around 04:55am we had to evacuate everyone out of the club , this was a big eye opener for us as a business and it was handled very well thank you to our door staff and management...

“We would like to apologise to everyone who was inside at the time and who was involved in the incident.

“What a world we live in that people would make businesses harder than it is in this trade after Covid.”

A woman, who was among those evacuated, told The Mirror “everyone was coughing and sneezing”.

She said: “The security were shouting for everybody to get get out. I have never seen something like this, everyone was just coughing and sneezing and struggling to breathe. There must have been about 50 or 60 people in. It was really creepy to be honest.”

In a statement seen by the paper, South Yorkshire Police said: “We are carrying out an investigation into reports a chemical substance was let off inside a night-time venue in Doncaster city centre in the early hours of this morning (Sunday 30 July).

“We were called at 5am to reports a number of people said to be feeling unwell at Pop Works on Silver Street. Eight people at the venue required hospital treatment but nobody is thought to have had any lasting effects. We are now working to determine what substance was let off at the location.

“We are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.”