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Tottenham Court Road disturbance sparks police alert Tottenham Court Road disturbance sparks police alert
(40 minutes later)
Armed police are attending an incident in central London where a man is reported to be causing a disturbance in an office building. Armed police are attending an incident in central London in which a man is reported to be causing a disturbance in an office building.
The Metropolitan police said it has thrown a 100-metre cordon around the area in Tottenham Court Road and was advising members of the public to stay away. The Metropolitan police said they had thrown a 100-metre cordon around the area in Tottenham Court Road and were advising members of the public to stay away.
A police negotiator was on the way to the scene, and armed police were in the area "as a precaution", Scotland Yard said.A police negotiator was on the way to the scene, and armed police were in the area "as a precaution", Scotland Yard said.
The incident began at midday on Friday when the police received reports of a man throwing items out of a fifth-floor window. Rumours that the man was holding hostages and that he had canisters strapped to his back were not confirmed by the police.The incident began at midday on Friday when the police received reports of a man throwing items out of a fifth-floor window. Rumours that the man was holding hostages and that he had canisters strapped to his back were not confirmed by the police.
Scotland Yard said the man had been moving about inside the building but was now located on the fifth floor. A spokesman said the police had received no reports of gunshots being fired in the area. Scotland Yard said the man had been moving about inside the building but was now on the fifth floor. A spokesman said the police had received no reports of gunshots being fired in the area.
In a video posted on YouTube by Stephen Hull, an editor with Huffington Post, a witness who said she was a receptionist at the transport and logistics firm where the incident was taking place, said the man walked into the office with gas canisters strapped to his body. She said she recognised him as a customer of the company, which provides HGV (heavy goods vehicle) training courses. In a video posted on YouTube by Stephen Hull, an editor with Huffington Post, a witness who works at the transport and logistics firm where the incident was taking place said the man walked into the office with gas canisters strapped to his body.
The witness – who was filmed at the scene – said the man was threatening to blow up the office. Abby Baafi, the head of training and operations at Advantage, said she recognised him as a customer of the company, which provides HGV (heavy goods vehicle) training courses.
"He turned up, strapped up with gasoline cylinders, and threatened to blow up the office," Baafi said at the scene. "He said he doesn't care about his life. He doesn't care about anything, he is going to blow up everybody."
She said the man had failed the HGV training course and wanted his money back.
Scotland Yard said in a statement: "Officers are in attendance at an incident in Tottenham Court Road, where a 50-year-old man is causing a disturbance.
"Police were called at 11.59 on Friday 27 April to an office building on Tottenham Court Road. Items, including electrical equipment, have been thrown out of a fifth-floor window.
"A 300-metre cordon has been put in place and a negotiator is on scene. We would advise people to keep clear of the area due to congestion."
The statement added that no injuries had been reported and it was unclear if there were other people in the building.