Gas canister with likely ‘ignition device’ found in Berlin McDonald’s

McDonald’s customers hoping to treat themselves to an Egg McMuffin were instead startled to find a gas canister at the fast food chain. The restaurant was evacuated following the discovery, which police say likely contained an “ignition device.”

Customers found the gas canister at a McDonald’s in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood at around 9am local time on Thursday. It was connected to a cable.

Customers were quickly evacuated while explosives experts were called in to examine the device.

Two hours later, at around 11am, police tweeted that specialists had disarmed the device. Fire services also ventilated the restaurant “due to the high concentration of gas there.”

Police also tweeted that investigators believe the canister was armed with an “ignition device.”

Bild reported that the cable attached to the canister had been reeled out to the parking lot behind the restaurant.

“A signal would have been enough to blow the whole restaurant into the air. We assume this was an attempt at an attack,” a police source told the German tabloid, as quoted by The Local.

State security authorities have now taken over the investigation, according to Spiegel.