London: A hostage-like situation has been reported in central London's Tottenham Court area. Eyewitnesses claimed to have seen a man with gas canisters strapped to him enter a building. Four people were reporteldy being held hostage.
The police have cordoned off the area and explosive experts have been summoned. UK daily 'The Telegraph' reported that the man, named Michael Green, had walked into the offices of a logistics company Advantage. The Telegraph reported that the man had failed an LGV training course conducted by the company three times and wanted his money back.
Scotland Yard said in a statement that police were called to Tottenham Court Road, a busy central London avenue, just before noon and had sent a negotiator to the site.
The Huffington Post, whose offices are just off Tottenham Court Road, said that its building had been evacuated and quoted an eyewitness as saying that a man had walked into her office "strapped up in gasoline cylinders."
"Basically he threatened to blow up the office," 27-year-old Abby Baafi told the news website. "He said he doesn't care about his life, he doesn't care about anything, he's going to blow up everybody."
Baafi, whom The Huffington Post identified as an employee of training company Advantage, said she recognized the man as a former customer.
"He's not quite stable, not mentally stable," she said.
(With additional information from AP)
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