Armed police rushed to St Thomas’ Hospital opposite Parliament as site staff and patients were apparently locked in’ on a security alert, but officers have since withdrawn
Officers were called over a « threat report » made by a man in hospital, although police did not find any weapons or make any arrests at the scene
They located and spoke to a man inside the hospital, but no further action was taken
Eyewitnesses said patients and staff were ‘locked up’ at the site, which is across from Parliament, during the incident
Lambeth Police tweeted: « Police were called at 9:18 am to St Thomas Hospital SE1 following a report of threats by a man No weapons were seen Des armed officers attended Local road closures were put in place The hospital was not evacuated << Officers subsequently located and spoke to a man inside the hospital The incident was suspended at around 10:30 am There were no arrests This was not treated as a terrorism incident "
An NBC producer said all hospital staff, wards, departments and operating theaters were locked up
Joe Sheffer wrote: « Incident at St Thomas Hospital appears to be happening in the South Wing according to hospital staff
« All staff, wards, departments and operating theaters have been locked inside St Thomas Hospital Rumors abound about internal WhatsApp groups, but no one seems to know what’s going on »
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A witness added: « My girlfriend just got out of a date there and said she saw 10 armed policemen rushing in as she was leaving »
A woman told The Sun: « There were police everywhere I heard it was a bomb threat and the hospital went into lockdown
« It seemed to be over very quickly, but for a while it felt like a life and death situation »
Others have described how the Met blocked access to St. Thomas Hospital and adjacent roads with officers imposing « what looked like a lockdown »
Financial Times reporter Robert Wright said: « I am at St Thomas Hospital where a serious incident is taking place I can see armed policemen and there is a helicopter above «
At 10:07 a.m., Lambeth Police tweeted: « Police are grappling with a security alert at St Thomas’ Hospital, SE1 We will provide further information once known »
However, around 30 minutes later, Lambeth Police added: « The security alert at St Thomas’s Hospital is suspended We are in the process of removing the cords »
BBC Radio London Travel tweeted: « Westminster Bridge is currently closed by police – looks like there is a cordon near St Thomas’ Hospital as well
« Westminster Bridge and Lambeth Palace Road are closed Also pedestrian restrictions @LambethMPS says he is dealing with a security alert at St Thomas’ Hospital »
A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service said: ‘We were called at 9.37am this morning (October 13th) to inform us of an incident at St Thomas’ Hospital
« We dispatched a number of specialist resources to the scene and worked closely with our colleagues from the emergency services on site
St Thomas ‘Hospital, London
World News – GB – Armed police rush to’ security alert ‘at London hospital as site is’ locked down »
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com
