Three London Underground stations evacuated, reports of incident on bus
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-21 21:24

Three London Underground stations were evacuated at midday Thursday following reports of smoke and explosions, two weeks after a series of bombings targeted London's public transport system. Police also were investigating a report of an incident on a bus in east London.

There were unconfired reports of several explosions or sounds of explosions.

Sky TV showed live footage of a double-decker bus parked by the side of the road and said its windows had been blown out. In the footage, there was nobody on board or nearby and the streets appeared to have been cordonned off.

More than an hour after the reports, Metropolitan Police said they were not treating it as a major incident on a par with the July 7 attacks which killed 56 people. But the quick succession of multiple incidents and the initial confusion were reminiscent of that day.

London Underground and the London Ambulance Service said there were no immediate reports of casualties. One witness said he had been told by another subway passenger that a rucksack had exploded on a train.

Prime Minister Tony Blair canceled his afternoon appointments as the developments unfolded.

Police said Warren Street, Shepherds Bush and Oval underground stations had been evacuated. Emergency services personnel were called to the stations, police said.

BBC TV reporter Keith Doyle near Oval station said a police officer had told him there had been an incident although it was not an explosion. He said officers had cordoned off a wide area around the station.

"People were panicking. But very fortunately the train was only 15 seconds from the station," witness Ivan McCracken told Sky news.

McCracken said another passenger had claimed he had seen a rucksack explode. The July 7 bombs in London were carried in rucksacks, police said.

Police cordoned off streets near Warren Street, and officers with sniffer dogs checked the area.

McCracken said he smelled smoke and that people were panicking and coming into his carriage.

McCracken said he spoke to an Italian man who was comforting a woman after the evacuation.

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

Services on the Victoria, Northern and Hammersmith and City lines were suspended following reports of a number of incidents, London Underground said.

"I was in the carriage and we smelt smoke - it was like something was burning," said Losiane Mohellavi, 35, who was evacuated at Warren Street.

"Everyone was panicked and people were screaming. We had to pull the alarm. I am still shaking," Mohellavi said.

London Ambulance said it was called to the Oval station at 12:38 p.m. (1138 GMT), Warren Street at 12:45 p.m. (1145 GMT).