Students’ Arms Turn Blue After Milk Cartons, Water Containers Were Contaminated At University

KEY POINTS

Seven people in a university in Germany were hospitalized
They fell ill and saw their arms turn blue from consuming food and drink at one of the university's kitchens
Investigators were able to identify a "harmful substance" in milk cartons and water containers

German police have launched an investigation into a possible case of attempted murder Tuesday after several people in a university felt nauseated and saw their limbs turn blue from allegedly ingesting poison.

Seven students and staff at Darmstadt Technical University in the central German state of Hesse fell ill after consuming a variety of food and drinks in the kitchens of the school's Institute for Material Sciences Monday, The Guardian reported, citing Hesse police.

Six people were treated in a hospital in Darmstadt, while a 30-year-old student was temporarily in a life-threatening condition before being stabilized by doctors on Monday evening, according to the outlet.

A 40-person murder commission named "Licht," which is the German word for light, was launched following the incident, police said in a joint statement with Darmstadt's public prosecutor's office. More personnel would be added if needed, according to police.

Authorities closed off the affected building — identified by police as L2.01 — and took away food that had been on-site for further investigation, a report by German broadcaster Deutsche Welle said.

Several milk cartons and water containers had been mixed with a "harmful substance," among other things, between Friday and Monday, Hesse police said in a statement. Additionally, police described the liquids as having a "pungent smell."

Investigators have allegedly identified the substance after analyzing samples in police labs overnight, but they could not publicly name it while the search for the culprit is ongoing.

"A substance has been identified that can be harmful to one’s health, and even deadly," prosecutor Robert Harmann was quoted as saying at a press conference Tuesday.

There was no longer a risk for further poisonings, police were cited as saying by Insider.

Authorities, however, recommended that people who consumed food and drinks in the building on the day of the incident seek medical treatment if they feel unwell or have bluish discoloration on their extremities.

Students have also been advised to only consume food or drink they have "carried themselves or stored under supervision."

No other people have reported symptoms since the incident, according to Deutsche Welle.