Small blasts hit London transport
Thursday, July 21, 2005; Posted: 9:22 a.m. EDT (13:22 GMT)
LONDON, England (CNN) -- At least one person has been injured following reports of three small explosions on London's transport system, police say.
The incidents came two weeks to the day since bombs on three Underground trains in London and a double-decker bus killed 56 people including four bombers.
CNN's Matthew Chance said police told him a device exploded in or around Warren Street Tube station in the center of the British capital.
The area around the station has been sealed off and the Bomb Squad is on the scene to check for other explosive devices.
Transport Police told ITN there was an injury at Warren Street. There are no other reports of casualties.
Scotland Yard is also reporting an incident on a bus at Hackney Road and Columbia Road in east London. A witness said the bus is still intact and a bomb-sniffing dog was on the scene.
An explosion blew out the windows of a bus in the Hackney area of London on Thursday but there were no reports of injuries, bus operator Stagecoach said.
"The driver heard a bang he believed came from the upper desk of the bus. The windows were blown out. There are no reports of any injuries," a Stagecoach spokesman said.
Police said initially they were not treating the evacuations as a "major incident."
A Scotland Yard spokesperson told CNN that Warren Street, Shepherds Bush and Oval stations had all been evacuated.
London Underground confirmed that services on three lines -- Victoria, Northern and Hammermith and City -- were suspended following the incidents, according to PA.
Ambulances were called to Oval station at 12:38 p.m. (7:38 a.m. ET), and sent three vehicles. At 12:45 p.m., a call came in from Warren Street. Five vehicles were sent there.
The ambulance service had no details on the Shepherd's Bush station incident.
Bryce Elder, a witness near the Shepherd's Bush station, said there was a heavy police presence but "no real sense of panic."
Police helicopters flew overhead and areas near Shepherd's Bush station were evacuated. Elder said the station was not very busy.
CNN London producer Katie Turner reported a heavy police presence near the Oval station, including about 30 police vehicles. Roads about 500 meters from the station have been blocked off to vehicular traffic, she said.
Prime Minister Tony Blair postponed a planned photocall with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, on an official visit to the capital and planned to make a speech later Thursday.
The White House said President George W. Bush has been informed of the incidents.
Thursday, July 21, 2005; Posted: 9:22 a.m. EDT (13:22 GMT)
LONDON, England (CNN) -- At least one person has been injured following reports of three small explosions on London's transport system, police say.
The incidents came two weeks to the day since bombs on three Underground trains in London and a double-decker bus killed 56 people including four bombers.
CNN's Matthew Chance said police told him a device exploded in or around Warren Street Tube station in the center of the British capital.
The area around the station has been sealed off and the Bomb Squad is on the scene to check for other explosive devices.
Transport Police told ITN there was an injury at Warren Street. There are no other reports of casualties.
Scotland Yard is also reporting an incident on a bus at Hackney Road and Columbia Road in east London. A witness said the bus is still intact and a bomb-sniffing dog was on the scene.
An explosion blew out the windows of a bus in the Hackney area of London on Thursday but there were no reports of injuries, bus operator Stagecoach said.
"The driver heard a bang he believed came from the upper desk of the bus. The windows were blown out. There are no reports of any injuries," a Stagecoach spokesman said.
Police said initially they were not treating the evacuations as a "major incident."
A Scotland Yard spokesperson told CNN that Warren Street, Shepherds Bush and Oval stations had all been evacuated.
London Underground confirmed that services on three lines -- Victoria, Northern and Hammermith and City -- were suspended following the incidents, according to PA.
Ambulances were called to Oval station at 12:38 p.m. (7:38 a.m. ET), and sent three vehicles. At 12:45 p.m., a call came in from Warren Street. Five vehicles were sent there.
The ambulance service had no details on the Shepherd's Bush station incident.
Bryce Elder, a witness near the Shepherd's Bush station, said there was a heavy police presence but "no real sense of panic."
Police helicopters flew overhead and areas near Shepherd's Bush station were evacuated. Elder said the station was not very busy.
CNN London producer Katie Turner reported a heavy police presence near the Oval station, including about 30 police vehicles. Roads about 500 meters from the station have been blocked off to vehicular traffic, she said.
Prime Minister Tony Blair postponed a planned photocall with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, on an official visit to the capital and planned to make a speech later Thursday.
The White House said President George W. Bush has been informed of the incidents.
WTF!!!
