Sweden, false alarm after explosions at Gothenburg University: they were balloons
The Goteborgs Posten writes this, but the news has not yet been confirmed by the police. Officers and ambulances that had gone to the scene are leaving the area
It was allegedly the bursting of some balloons that triggered the alarm at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. The Goteborgs Posten writes this, but the news has not yet been confirmed by the police. Officers and ambulances that had gone to the scene are leaving the area.
Several loud bangs were reported inside the university buildings, according to freelance photographer Adam Nilsson on Swedish public television SVT. Police, ambulances and emergency services were immediately on the scene, with local authorities still managing the situation and trying to clarify the origin of the explosions. There is currently no official confirmation of casualties or injuries.
First testimonies and reactions of the authorities
Witnesses in the vicinity of the University of Gothenburg described loud bangs and panic among students and academic staff, with police cordoning off the area to allow technical investigations. According to initial reports, police have not yet released details on the cause of the incident and it is unclear whether it was an accident, an accidental explosion related to building work, or an act of arson. The authorities have urged the population to avoid the affected quadrant and to follow official updates.
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Gothenburg, Sweden's second most populous city, has recorded several incidents of explosions and detonations in recent years, often related to criminal phenomena with the use of explosives in urban settings. In December 2025, for example, an explosion caused damage to a door and windows of a building in the Johanneberg district, with no injuries but with the bomb disposal squad mobilised for technical investigations. Occasionally, police have linked detonations to possible gang conflicts or explosives-related crimes,.
In some cases, such as the September 2021 explosion in a residential building in the Annedal district, dozens of people were taken to hospital and the authorities investigated possible explosive devices placed at the site, ruling out natural causes such as gas leaks.
