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Tottenham Court Road disturbance sparks police alert Police arrest man, 50, after three-hour siege in central London office
(about 1 hour later)
Armed police and explosives officers have been called to Tottenham Court Road in central London after a man entered a building and, according to one witness, threatened to blow himself up. Police have arrested a 50-year-old man who sparked an armed siege in a busy London street on Friday.
The Metropolitan police increased the cordon around the area from 100 to 300 metres two hours after the incident began around midday. They were called to the offices of Advantage HGV after receiving reports that a man had entered the building and was throwing computers and other equipment from the window. The man was seen being led away just over three hours after armed police and an explosives team were called to an office building on Tottenham Court Road.
A police source said the man was "causing concern" but there was no confirmation that he was holding hostages inside the building. A police negotiator was called to the scene "as a precaution". Scotland Yard said the building was being searched but there was no indication at this time that hostages had been held.
Rumours that the man had canisters strapped to his body were not confirmed by the police. The incident sparked chaos in central London as police imposed a 300-metre cordon around the area after an eye witness said a man had arrived at the office of Advantage HGV with gas canisters strapped to his body and threatened to blow himself up. A police negotiator was called to the scene.
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. It was also reported that the man was throwing computers and other equipment out of a window.
In a video posted on YouTube by Stephen Hull, an editor with the Huffington Post, a witness who works at the transport and logistics firm said the man walked into the office with gas canisters strapped to his body. Images on Twitter showed various items being thrown from the building, including computer monitors and piles of paper.
Abby Baafi, the head of training and operations at Advantage HGV, said she recognised him as a customer of the company, which provides HGV (heavy goods vehicle) training courses. Ryan Murphy, an electrician who was working on the roof of 170 Tottenham Court Road, confirmed that several large items had been thrown from the building next door.
"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." "I saw about 7 or 8 TVs or LCD screens being thrown out of the window and a couple of keyboards and filing cabinets," he said.
"I didn't know what to think. Everyone else was getting evacuated but no one had come up to see us [at that point]."
He and his workmates were eventually evacuated by an armed officer.
Reports that the man had canisters strapped to his body had not been confirmed.
In a video posted on YouTube by Stephen Hull, an editor with the Huffington Post, a witness who works at the transport and logistics firm spoke about the incident.
Abby Baafi, the head of training and operations, 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 an HGV training course and wanted his money back.She said the man had failed an 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. The Metropolitan police had earlier issued a statement, saying: "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 11.59am 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. "Police were called at 11.59am on Friday 27 April to an office building on Tottenham Court Road.
"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." "Items, including electrical equipment, have been thrown out of a fifth-floor window."
The statement added that no injuries had been reported and it was unclear if there were other people in the building. The statement added that no injuries had been reported and it was not clear if there were other people in the building at the time.
Sarah O'Meara, who works for the Huffington Post, said the media company had evacuated its offices in nearby Capper Street after being alerted by a woman who ran into the building. Sarah O'Meara of the Huffington Post said the media company had evacuated its offices in nearby Capper Street after being alerted by a passerby.
"A woman ran in off the street saying: 'There is a guy with a bomb and he is threatening to blow himself up', and that we needed to evacuate," she said."A woman ran in off the street saying: 'There is a guy with a bomb and he is threatening to blow himself up', and that we needed to evacuate," she said.
"Everyone got out. The police have been moving people back street by street.""Everyone got out. The police have been moving people back street by street."
Images on Twitter showed various items being thrown from the building, including computer monitors and piles of paper.
O'Meara said the atmosphere had been "tragi-comic" until the police arrived and it turned serious.O'Meara said the atmosphere had been "tragi-comic" until the police arrived and it turned serious.
"He was throwing stuff out of the windows – it looked like someone with a grievance," she said. "But then the police arrived and started telling everyone: 'This is serious, this is for your own safety. He has got gas.'" "He was throwing stuff out of the windows – it looked like someone with a grievance," she said.
"But then the police arrived and started telling everyone: 'This is serious, this is for your own safety. He has got gas.'"
Tottenham Court Road was cordoned off from near Goodge street tube station all the way up to the Euston Road – a distance of almost half a mile.