Madrid metro station shut down due to ‘highly toxic gases’

Madrid's Sol metro station has been shut down due to hazardous conditions caused by protesters who have occupied the area to protest the housing crisis. The station's President, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, stated that the environment inside is unsanitary, with urine, excrement, and other waste accumulating in vents and access points. The Minister of Housing, Transport, and Infrastructure, Jorge Rodrigo, warned that the high levels of toxic gases, generated by decomposing organic matter, pose a serious health risk.

Rodrigo's letter cited an environmental report from Himalaya Laboratories, which confirmed the presence of highly toxic and potentially dangerous gases. The protest, now in its third week, involves over 5,000 people, many of whom are young adults. The situation escalated after 87-year-old Maricarmen was evicted from her home and died two weeks later, prompting activists to rally for her return.