Signing off
That’s it from us on this blog. The investigation into the explosion on a London tube train continue.
"It felt like an eternity"
Ryan Barnett, 25, said that one victim of the Parsons Green bombing had her leg “pretty badly cut up”.
Speaking to the Press Association, he said:
“Someone said there had been an explosion, there was white stuff, someone said there was a lot of wires, one girl outside the station had her leg pretty badly cut up.
“People were saying there was one man who was singed down the side of his body, including his hair.
It felt like an eternity, but it was only a couple of minutes, probably.
“There were a lot of people taking photos, there was a couple of people taking selfies and I thought: ‘What is the world coming to?’”
Major incident resolved at hospital
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital received 14 patients after the Parsons Green bombing.
The major incident which was declared at the hospital resolved at 1pm.
Some patients at the hospital were treated at the burns unit.
Passengers took selfies after explosion
Passengers caught up in the Parsons Green terror attack were seen “taking selfies” as commuters fled amid the “chaos”, it has been claimed.
Witness Ryan Barnett said several people were also taking photographs following the explosion at the south-west London station during the Friday morning rush-hour.
But he said he was shocked to see some pausing for selfies in the stampede.
Bucket bomb seen before in failed UK terror attacks, say experts
The improvised bucket bomb left on the Tube at Parsons Green bears the hallmarks of previous failed bombing attempts in the UK, according to experts. Images of the explosive shared on social media appear to show a bucket placed in a Lidl shopping bag with wires protruding, and reports suggest the device also had a timer.
Academics and chemical experts suggested that, while the device caused what witnesses described as a “fireball”, it failed to fully detonate.
Dr Lewis Herrington, a lecturer and terrorism expert at Loughborough University, said the use of a timer was “key”, as it distinguished it from the suicide attacks on July 7 2005 and at the Manchester Arena earlier this year.
He said: “A timing device is critical - if you look at all the other attacks, the Westminster attack, Khuram Butt, Salman Abedi, they all wanted to die. That’s not present and that really sends alarm bells. This guy really wanted to pack a punch. “The initiator succeeded hence the reported fireball but clearly the explosive element failed.”
Dr Herrington said the attack instead bore echoes of the case of Damon Smith, 20, who was jailed for 15 years in May after leaving a home-made bomb in a rucksack containing ball bearing shrapnel on a Jubilee Line train.
Smith, who had autism and was not motivated by terrorism, created the bomb after finding an al Qaida guide online.
Mr Herrington said such guides could be found within “10 seconds” through search engines.
Carwyn Jones 'distressed' by incident
The First Minister has sent his best wishes to all those involved.
Donald Trump's tube bomber comments unhelpful and pure speculation, say Met Police
Scotland Yard has dismissed a claim by Donald Trump that the Parsons Green Tube bombers had been “in the sights” of police as “pure speculation”.
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said the US president’s comments - which did not correspond with any information released by the UK authorities - were “unhelpful”.
Mr Trump made the provocative allegation in a trademark tweet as police launched a major manhunt to track down the perpetrators responsible for planting the device on a packed commuter train.
“Another attack in London by a loser terrorist,” he wrote. “These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!” His claim threatened to spark a fresh row over US-UK intelligence sharing arrangements which have already come under strain since he entered the White House. A
Scotland Yard spokesman said: “The comments are unhelpful and pure speculation. If anyone has got any evidence or information, please contact the anti-terrorism hotline.”
His remarks were echoed by former No 10 aide Nick Timothy, who tweeted: “True or not - and I’m sure he doesn’t know - this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner.”
Schools in lockdown
Schools in Fulham are protecting younger students by discreetly going into “lockdown” but not telling them about the attack.
A junior school and a nursery school inside the cordon had to be evacuated under armed guard, while many others in the area have decided to keep students inside for the day.
Zebedee Nursery School was evacuated under armed guards on Friday morning.
Principal Su Gahan posted on Facebook at around 9.30am: “Everyone safe at Zebedee, thank you to those asking. A lot of action with police outside the gates. We have two armed guards outside the gates.”
Two hours later she posted: “We are fine. We were guarded by two armed police and then evacuated.”
Children at Kensington Prep School were also evacuated at around 11.15am.
Students at Lady Margaret School, a secondary girls’ school, were told to stay inside their building on Parsons Green - within the cordon - in the aftermath of the attack, a source said.
Witnesses seen 'taking selfies' after attack
Witnesses were reportedly taking selfies inside the station after the incident.
Ryan Barnett was caught up in the crush that took place in the stairwell of the Tube station.
He heard of victims with burn injuries and reported seeing some commuters taking selfies on the platform.
The 25-year-old, who works in politics and had been travelling to his office, told the Press Association: “There were a lot of people taking photos, there was a couple of people taking selfies and I thought: ‘What is the world coming to?
“I was lucky, I wasn’t in the carriage, I was in a few carriages down but I was caught up in the stampede down the stairs.”
St Mary's Hospital stands down from major incident
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which earlier declared a major incident at St Mary’s Hospital to deal with the attack, tweeted: “St Mary’s Hospital has now been stood down from the major incident.”
Search focused on five tube stations
The train which had the bomb on board was heading into central London when it was detonated at Parsons Green.
Security services are now trying to work out where the bomber got on board.
It had set off from Wimbledon and passed through Wimbledon Park, Southfields, East Putney and Putney Bridge before reaching Parsons Green.
The device is believed to have been attached to a timer and the perpetrator could still be at large.
Lidl offers help to tube bomb police after device pictured in branded bag
Supermarket Lidl has offered to assist a police investigation into the terrorist incident on the London Underground, after one of its bags was apparently used to hold the improvised bomb.
The German-owned grocery chain issued a statement just hours after social media photos of the affected District Line carriage showed a still-burning bucket inside a Lidl-branded reusable bag.
“We are shocked and concerned to have learned of an incident at Parsons Green this morning and our thoughts are with those affected,” Lidl UK said.
“We will, of course, support the authorities should they need our assistance in their investigations. We are closely monitoring the situation as it develops over the course of the day.”
A spokesman for the supermarket also confirmed that what seemed to be an insensitive tweet, purportedly sent out by Lidl UK’s twitter account on Friday morning, was fake.
What we know so far
An explosion on a London Underground train which sent passengers and those in the vicinity fleeing in fear is being treated as a terrorist incident by police. Here is what we know so far:
- Emergency services including police, fire and ambulance were called to the scene at around 8.20am after an improvised explosive device detonated in a carriage.
- The District line train, bound for central London, had just stopped at Parsons Green station in the west of the city when the explosion happened.
- Twenty-two people have been injured, most of whom police said suffered “flash burns”.
- Casualties were taken to trusts across London including Imperial, Chelsea and Westminster and Guy’s and St Thomas’. St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington declared a major incident but has since been stood down.
- Around two hours after the explosion, the Metropolitan Police confirmed they were treating it as a terrorist incident.
- US President Donald Trump denounced the attack by “sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard”.
- Witnesses said they saw a white “builder’s bucket” in a supermarket bag, while pictures posted online appeared to show a flaming bucket with wires protruding inside a plastic carrier bag on the floor of a carriage.
- People reported seeing a “fireball” and a “wall of flame” in the train and people “covered in blood”.
- The public has been warned to expect an “enhanced police presence”, particularly across the transport system on Friday.
Home Secretary speaks about terror attack
Home Secretary Amber Rudd has condemned the Parsons Green blast, saying: “Once more people going about their everyday lives have been targeted in a callous and indiscriminate way.”
Council leader 'outraged' over attack
Stephen Cowan, the leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, the area in which the attack took place, told the Press Association he was “outraged” by the explosion.
He said: “Around 8.20 this morning a package exploded in the final carriage of a District Line train at Parsons Green station, it is being treated as a terrorist incident.
What is extremely impressive was that the emergency services were on to the situation immediately, there is a completely co-ordinated effort and there is no reason to be overly concerned.
I would stress that people should be reassured because this is being dealt with very effectively by everyone in the emergency services. “I can’t tell you how angry I am, I am absolutely outraged that someone could do this - attacking innocent lives, putting those people at risk and causing fear and harm is not a way to express yourself.
This kind of terrorism needs to be stamped out, but people need to recognise that in London we have one of the most amazing cities anywhere, they are not going to damage us, they are not going to beat us.”
Number of injured increases to 22
NHS England said 22 patients in total were being treated at Imperial, Chelsea and Westminster, Guy’s and St Thomas’ and the Central London Community Healthcare Urgent Care Centre. Of these 18 were taken by ambulance and four self-presented.
Police urge public to be vigilant
Mark Rowley, assistant commissioner at the Met Police, said the investigation is being led by the Met’s counter-terrorism command, with support from MI5.
Speaking outside Scotland Yard, he said there are many urgent enquiries ongoing now with hundreds of officers involved - looking at CCTV, forensic work and speaking to witnesses.
Asked if it was clear whether the person responsible was on the train at the time, Mr Rowley said: “It’s very much a live investigation and we are following down the lines of enquiry as I said.”
He said Londoners can expect to see an “enhanced police presence”, particularly across the transport system across the day. And he called on anyone with information to contact authorities as a matter of urgency.
He added: “Finally I would ask the public to remain vigilant across London and to be alert in assisting us but not alarmed.”
Police decline to comment on Trump criticism
The Metropolitan Police would not be drawn on Mr Trump’s comments on Twitter. “It is not something we would comment on,” a spokeswoman said.
School evacuated
Children have been evacuated from a nearby school.
At around 11.15am primary school children were evacuated from Kensington Prep School, which is inside the police cordon.
Donald Trump tweets
Donald Trump has slammed Scotland Yard in wake of the terror attack.
He has suggested the “demented terrorist” behind today’s Parsons Green incident was “in the sights of Scotland Yard”.
The US President appeared to criticise the Metropolitan Police’s response to a suspected terror bomb on the Tube less than three hours after it happened.
What we know so far
Here’s a video explaining everything we know about the incident up to now.
Fifth terrorist attack to hit UK this year
The scenes of panic evoked memories of the July 7 atrocities in 2005, when suicide bombers killed 52 people in a series of co-ordinated attacks across the transport network.
Two weeks later, a group of men attempted to set off rucksack devices but the bombs failed to go off.
The emergency at Parsons Green will spark another huge counter-terrorism probe as security services confront an unprecedented threat.
Four attacks - at Westminster, Manchester, London Bridge and Finsbury Park - have hit Britain already this year.
Authorities have foiled 19 plots since the middle of 2013 - including six since the Westminster atrocity in March.
The incident comes a day after figures revealed terror-related arrests in Great Britain have hit a new record high, with suspects held at a rate of more than one every day.
Police warned there is no such thing as a “typical terrorist” after official statistics showed rises in numbers detained across ethnicities and age groups.
There were 379 arrests for terrorism-related offences in the year ending June 2017, the highest number in a 12-month period since data collection began in 2001.
Police and MI5 are running 500 investigations involving 3,000 individuals at any one time, while there are also 20,000 former “subjects of interest” whose risk must be kept under review.
London Ambulance statement in full
The London Ambulance Service has issued a full statement, saying 18 patients have been taken to hospital.
None of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries.
People are also being urged only to call for an ambulance if it is an emergency.
London Underground staff assisting police
Nigel Holness, London Underground’s director of network operations, said that they are doing all they can to help police and support customers.
He said: “Our staff have worked to assist the emergency services and to ensure the safety of our customers during this morning’s incident at Parsons Green. We are focussed on assisting the police investigation into what happened and providing support for our customers and staff. “Our Sarah Hope Line is available to offer help and support to anyone affected by this morning’s incident.”
How is the Parsons Green explosion being investigated?
Details about the Parsons Green blast are still emerging, but Scotland Yard had declared a “terrorist incident” within two hours of the first emergency calls. Investigators will be scouring CCTV and taking statements from dozens of witnesses as they attempt to piece together the lead-up to the explosion.
Pictures circulating on social media appeared to show wires protruding from a bucket inside a plastic carrier bag, but officers have so far said it is “too early” to confirm the cause of the fire.
If there is a device, it will be forensically assessed after being made safe, while police will be urgently trying to establish whether someone attempted to detonate it, and whether they were present at the scene.
18 taken to hospital
18 people were taken to hospital after the Parsons Green explosion, London Ambulance Service said.
London mayor appeals for calm in 'never intimidated' capital
Sadiq Khan has appealed for calm following the Parsons Green terror incident, saying London “will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism”.
The Mayor of London urged people to “remain calm and vigilant” in the wake of the explosion.
He said: “Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life. As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism.”
He said he is in close contact with the emergency services and will be attending the meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergencies committee this afternoon .
Mr Khan added: “My sincere gratitude goes to all our courageous emergency responders and the TfL (Transport for London) staff who were first on the scene. “I urge all Londoners to remain calm and vigilant, and to check TfL’s website for travel advice.”
Witness describes panic after explosion
Olaniyi Shokunbi, 24, boarded the train that the bomb had been planted on at Putney Bridge and had been listening to music when he saw people scrambling off the train.
He said: “I thought the train was leaving Parsons Green but then I saw lots of people running up. My first instinct was to get out of the train myself. It’s a small station. There’s only two exits and a lot of people were struggling over each other. Some people just jumped over.
“I thought it was an acid attack. It was early morning and people were drinking coffee and I felt some [liquid] on me and I thought ‘that better not go on my face’.”
Mr Shokunbi, a fitness instructor, said he had seen people lying on the floor covered in blood.
He said: “There were people on the floor, there was a little boy, I really felt sorry for him, he couldn’t have been more than 11.
“He had scratches on his head, he was looking for his little brother.
“I was going to go back into the train station but a woman said ‘don’t go back in there, there’s people on the floor’.”
He added: “There was a woman on the floor. She couldn’t breathe. People were screaming and crying.”
Manhunt launched to find terrorist
Police are now starting a manhunt for the person responsible for the terror attack.
The Met Police’s counter-terror command has taken charge of the investigation.
Their working assumption is that a perpetrator planted a bomb on the train and detectives in the coming hours will try to work out who, why and whether the attacker had help.
