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Man arrested after reported attack on Sydney police station Man arrested after suffering serious burns in Sydney police station incident
(about 1 hour later)
A man has been arrested after a reported attack on Merrylands police station in western Sydney. A man has been arrested after he suffered serious burns in an incident at Merrylands police station in western Sydney.
According to reports a car was driven into the underground carpark of the police station. Officers approached a vehicle outside the police car park about 7pm, NSW police assistant commissioner Denis Clifford said on Thursday night.
Police said the incident occurred about 7pm and the man was arrested an hour later. It appeared some form of accelerant was used, causing a fire, and the vehicle collided with the roller shutter of the police carpark, Clifford said.
Officers from the rescue and bomb disposal unit were examining the car, a police statement said. “He was unconscious for some time. Police extinguished the flames and extricated the person from the vehicle,” Clifford said.
Two witnesses told Guardian Australia the police had blocked off Merrylands Road, and there was a strong burning smell from the area. “He has been treated by ambulance and conveyed to hospital in a serious condition.”
The man suffered serious burns, Clifford said.
He said police were still trying to establish the man’s identity, and stressed that it was not clear what the man’s motive was.
Asked whether the incident had any links with terrorism, Clifford said: “That’s not one of our lines of inquiry. There’s nothing to indicate this is in any way related to terrorism.”
Officers from the rescue and bomb disposal unit were examining the car, an earlier police statement said. No one else was hurt in the incident.
Two witnesses told Guardian Australia the police had blocked off Merrylands Road, and there was a strong burning smell from the area shortly after the incident.
Rafi Younes, the chief executive of Merrylands Century 21 real estate agency, said: “All the roads are blocked so the police wouldn’t let anybody go close. We’ve been told to close the shops and leave the area.”Rafi Younes, the chief executive of Merrylands Century 21 real estate agency, said: “All the roads are blocked so the police wouldn’t let anybody go close. We’ve been told to close the shops and leave the area.”
Younes and his colleague Leonardo De La Vega said they had been told a man drove into the police station.Younes and his colleague Leonardo De La Vega said they had been told a man drove into the police station.
They said they had been told by witnesses there was subsequently an explosion, but it was unclear what caused it.
“So they had riot police and ambulance outside the street,” De La Vega said.“So they had riot police and ambulance outside the street,” De La Vega said.
“You could smell something was burning, you could smell it burning.”“You could smell something was burning, you could smell it burning.”
The ABC reported a man had suffered burns in the incident. The police statement said no members of the public or police were hurt in the incident.