Tdesignz
21st July 2005, 18:02
TUBE BLASTS CONFIRMED
Bombers have again targeted London's transport system - with up to four explosions reported.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said the bombs appeared to be smaller than used in the attacks two weeks ago but advised people to "stay where you are".
Passengers reported one blast at Warren Street station off Tottenham Court Road in central London.
There has also been an incident on a bus in Hackney, East London.
Stations at Warren Street, Oval and Shepherd's Bush have been closed.
Scotland Yard have confirmed there is an incident involving armed police officers at University College Hospital in Bloomsbury near Warren Street station.
Men in chemical protection suits have been seen appearing to enter Warren Street, where British Transport Police say one person has been injured.
A initial chemical serach at Oval station has proved negative.
Sir Ian told reporters at Scotland Yard the incidents were "serious".
There appeared to have been a series of explosions or attempted explosions. Sir Ian urged Londoners to "stay where you are and go about your normal business" for the time being.
Services on the Victoria, Northern and Hammersmith & City and Bakerloo Lines have been disrupted. The Victoria Line has reopened on either side of Warren Street.
Bus in Hackney
Emergency services started receiving calls just after 12.30.
At Warren Street there were reports of shots and a nail bomb explosion. Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said police believe this may have been the sound of detonators going off.
Victoria Line train passenger Ivan McCracken told Sky News he spoke to an Italian man who witnessed an explosion just after the train arrived at the platform.
"He told me he had seen a man carrying a rucksack which suddenly exploded. It was a minor explosion but enough to blow open his rucksack. Everyone rushed from the carriage. People evacuated very quickly. There was no panic.
"I didn't see anyone injured but there was shock and fright.
"There was a smell of smoke."
"The man who was holding the rucksack looked extremely dismayed."
One witness told Sky News that passengers tried to prevent a man with a rucksack running away but they failed.
At Oval station there were reports of a man dumping a rucksack in a carriage then fleeing as the doors closed.
Stations affected
Police cordoned off the streets around Warren Street station. Sky reporter Mark White said: "Police activity suggests that they are looking for somebody on the outside here."
Scotland Yard said emergency services responded to an "incident" on a Number 26 bus in Hackney Road, on a junction near Colombia Road, east London.
Bus operator Stagecoach said the driver heard a bang at around 1.30pm.
The bus had left Waterloo and was in Shoreditch when the incident happened.
"The driver heard a bang which appeared to come from the upper deck. When he went upstairs to investigate, the windows on the upper deck were blown out.
"The bus is structurally intact and we don't have any reports of injuries," said a spokesman.
Sky News Foreign Affairs editor Tim Marshall said: "There is nobody anywhere near the bus. This does indicate that police think it is still dangerous."
Sky News Online's Rob Cole is at Shepherd's Bush. He said: "The whole of Shepherd's Bush Green is sealed off. About 400 metres on both sides of the Tube station is affected."
Network Rail say all mainline train services are running from London stations.
It is two weeks to the day since bombers attacked three Tube trains and a bus in central London.
http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,3010...1189833,00.html (http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1189833,00.html)
Bombers have again targeted London's transport system - with up to four explosions reported.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said the bombs appeared to be smaller than used in the attacks two weeks ago but advised people to "stay where you are".
Passengers reported one blast at Warren Street station off Tottenham Court Road in central London.
There has also been an incident on a bus in Hackney, East London.
Stations at Warren Street, Oval and Shepherd's Bush have been closed.
Scotland Yard have confirmed there is an incident involving armed police officers at University College Hospital in Bloomsbury near Warren Street station.
Men in chemical protection suits have been seen appearing to enter Warren Street, where British Transport Police say one person has been injured.
A initial chemical serach at Oval station has proved negative.
Sir Ian told reporters at Scotland Yard the incidents were "serious".
There appeared to have been a series of explosions or attempted explosions. Sir Ian urged Londoners to "stay where you are and go about your normal business" for the time being.
Services on the Victoria, Northern and Hammersmith & City and Bakerloo Lines have been disrupted. The Victoria Line has reopened on either side of Warren Street.
Bus in Hackney
Emergency services started receiving calls just after 12.30.
At Warren Street there were reports of shots and a nail bomb explosion. Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said police believe this may have been the sound of detonators going off.
Victoria Line train passenger Ivan McCracken told Sky News he spoke to an Italian man who witnessed an explosion just after the train arrived at the platform.
"He told me he had seen a man carrying a rucksack which suddenly exploded. It was a minor explosion but enough to blow open his rucksack. Everyone rushed from the carriage. People evacuated very quickly. There was no panic.
"I didn't see anyone injured but there was shock and fright.
"There was a smell of smoke."
"The man who was holding the rucksack looked extremely dismayed."
One witness told Sky News that passengers tried to prevent a man with a rucksack running away but they failed.
At Oval station there were reports of a man dumping a rucksack in a carriage then fleeing as the doors closed.
Stations affected
Police cordoned off the streets around Warren Street station. Sky reporter Mark White said: "Police activity suggests that they are looking for somebody on the outside here."
Scotland Yard said emergency services responded to an "incident" on a Number 26 bus in Hackney Road, on a junction near Colombia Road, east London.
Bus operator Stagecoach said the driver heard a bang at around 1.30pm.
The bus had left Waterloo and was in Shoreditch when the incident happened.
"The driver heard a bang which appeared to come from the upper deck. When he went upstairs to investigate, the windows on the upper deck were blown out.
"The bus is structurally intact and we don't have any reports of injuries," said a spokesman.
Sky News Foreign Affairs editor Tim Marshall said: "There is nobody anywhere near the bus. This does indicate that police think it is still dangerous."
Sky News Online's Rob Cole is at Shepherd's Bush. He said: "The whole of Shepherd's Bush Green is sealed off. About 400 metres on both sides of the Tube station is affected."
Network Rail say all mainline train services are running from London stations.
It is two weeks to the day since bombers attacked three Tube trains and a bus in central London.
http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,3010...1189833,00.html (http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1189833,00.html)