bomb alerts and stuff

And then any actual reports and info and updates get lost amidst a flurry of bad puns.

x-post

Bag may or may not have "bomb" written on it.

POLICE STATIONS LEAD

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Eyewitnesses on affected Tube lines reported seeing rucksacks which had exploded, but the damage was on nothing like the scale of a fortnight ago.

The stations affected were Warren Street, Oval and Shepherd's Bush.

Scotland Yard said officers had been deployed in full protective equipment in order to carry out an examination of the scene at Warren Street.

But a spokesman added: "We have carried out initial examination at Oval and early indications show no trace of chemical agents."

Scotland Yard also confirmed that armed officers had been deployed to an "incident" at University College Hospital, near Warren Street, where many casualties from the July 7 attacks were treated.

A spokesman said: "We are dealing with an incident at University College Hospital and we have armed officers deployed there.

"We cannot go into any further detail at this stage."

Three armed officers were seen going into the major incident unit at UCH, just minutes before someone was carried from an ambulance into the unit on a stretcher.

That followed reports that someone had been seen "running away" from Warren Street in the wake of the incident there.

Sosiane Mohellavi, 35, was travelling from Oxford Circus to Walthamstow when he was evacuated from a train at Warren Street.

"I was sitting in the carriage reading a book and I smelt something burning, like wiring or tyres, and it just got more intense.

"Suddenly people panicked and started screaming and were walking on each other's backs trying to get the hell out of there.

"I couldn't move, I didn't know what to do, whether to run or not.

"People ran and left their shoes and belongings when they smelt the burning," Mr Mohellavi said.

Victoria Line passenger Ivan McCracken told Sky News: "I was in a middle carriage and the train was not far short of Warren Street station when suddenly the door between my carriage and the next one burst open and dozens of people started rushing through. Some were falling, there was mass panic.

"It was difficult to get the story from any of them what had happened but when I got to ground level there was an Italian young man comforting an Italian girl who told me he had seen what had happened.

"He said that a man was carrying a rucksack and the rucksack suddenly exploded. It was a minor explosion but enough to blow open the rucksack.

"The man then made an exclamation as if something had gone wrong. At that point everyone rushed from the carriage."

Mr McCracken said he smelled smoke but did not see any injured passengers.

Prime Minister Tony Blair cancelled a visit to east London this afternoon as events unfolded.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone also cancelled a visit this afternoon to the Family Assistance Centre set up to help victims of the July 7 blasts in light of the current Tube incidents.

At Oval station there were also reports of a man dumping a rucksack in a carriage then fleeing as the doors closed.

Stagecoach, which owns the number 26 bus involved in today's incident, 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.

The Government's civil contingencies committee - known as Cobra - was meeting this afternoon in response to the latest incidents, Downing Street confirmed.

After that, Mr Blair - who was informed about the incidents during a lunch in Downing Street with Australian premier John Howard - will decide whether to go ahead with his planned meeting with intelligence and police chiefs originally scheduled to discuss the aftermath of the July 7 attacks on London.

Some Tube lines were shut down after the explosions.

A Transport for London spokesman said: "There is a Code Amber which means that the trains are being taken to the next station and passengers evacuated to above ground.

"Police are at all three stations."

mfl

Based on 60-second sampling here in Holborn...yes. (Two moderately-full 55s have just gone past followed by a fullish 19 and a rammed bendy of unknown number).

You can't separate news from discussion - unless it's a very personal issue (as was 2 weeks ago).

Victoria and bakerloo lines are reopened. No service on Piccadilly Line.

Yikes.

I think someone upthread said that other sites weren't loading for them, so posting whole news items does make some sense.

I did have a witty one liner too, but I will refrain now.

I find the discussion reassuring, especially when it's fast-paced and involves stupid jokes witty one liners. Like talking quite fast when you're worried, you know?

Glad you all seem okay.

but this is a very curious bus to choose

(nearly everything that has so far been reported seems very curious though)

otm

just my little joke. as you were.

otm

Well, you can (e.g., if discussion of policy in regard to searching rucksacks, history of airline security, etc., had continued, it perhaps should have gotten its own thread), but I don't know if one is needed in this instance/these incidents (though I suppose some people close to the scene might want to know what lines are still running and all).

"the man is said to have an alarm clock hanging from around his neck"

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(10x-post)

about time.