An explosion on a train in the London underground is being treated as an act of terrorism, London’s Metropolitan Police have confirmed.
Eighteen people have been taken to hospital with injuries. The London Ambulance Service says none of the injuries are thought to be life-threatening.
Police say they were called to an incident at Parsons Green Underground Station in south London at about 8:20am on Friday morning (local time) following reports of a fire on the train.
They confirmed a number of injuries after arriving at the scene, with news reports saying some people have suffered burns to their faces.
The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command has reportedly said an homemade explosive at the scene resembles a pressure cooker device that failed to properly detonate.
"The looks a pressure cooker device that has malfunctioned" says former MOD Head of Counter-Terrorism on #ParsonsGreen attack device pic.twitter.com/LCZVizQ8GN
— Sentinel (@StratSentinel) September 15, 2017
Police have cordoned off the station and are advising people to avoid the area.
London’s mayor Sadiq Kahn said in a statement on Twitter “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.
#ParsonsGreen Terror Attack:
• 'Blast' declared a terrorist incident
• Several passengers injured
• Emergency Cobra meeting called today pic.twitter.com/hyYdkh5mIW— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 15, 2017
This is the fourth terror attack in London this year. In March a man ploughed through pedestrians on Westminster bridge, killing four and injuring 50 people.
A similar attack on London Bridge and the Borough Markets left eight people dead and 48 injured.
In May, a lone bomber killed 22 people and injured 250 at a pop concert in Manchester.