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[INTERNATIONAL] · Poland · 12 sources

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Zamość emergency sirens activated by mistake during system test

On the morning of Sunday, August 23, 2026, emergency sirens were accidentally activated in Zamość and several surrounding counties in the Lubelskie Voivodeship, including Biłgoraj, Hrubieszów, and Tomaszów. The incident occurred around 7:00 AM and lasted for approximately three minutes.

Authorities from the Provincial Crisis Management Center in Lublin confirmed that the sirens were triggered by mistake during a scheduled “silent test” of the warning system. Instead of a silent check, a continuous three-minute signal—which signifies the cancellation of an alarm—was broadcast.

Marcin Bubicz, spokesperson for the Lubelskie Voivode, and Zamość Mayor Rafał Zwolak both issued apologies and assured residents that there was no actual threat. However, the error has caused public concern, with some residents expressing fear that frequent technical failures might lead people to ignore sirens during a genuine emergency. This incident follows previous issues with the regional warning system during a separate incident involving a Russian missile in July.

Entities

Lubelskie Voivodeship · Marcin Bubicz · Rafał Zwolak · Wojewódzkie Centrum Zarządzania Kryzysowego · Wojewódzkie Centrum Zarządzania Kryzysowego w Lublinie · Zamość

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