Bomb scare outside Gherkin as police carry out controlled explosion on London taxi

A taxi has been blown up outside the Gherkin in the City of London in a controlled explosion.

The silver Hackney carriage, which was left outside the skyscraper, sparked a bomb scare in St Mary Axe around 7.45 am this morning.

Bomb scare near the Gherkin. Suspicious, unmanned taxi… He’s only gone for a bacon sarnie. #London pic.twitter.com/wHDPGmiBel

— Matt Connolly (@Connolly_M) October 21, 2014

 

#cheesegrater#gherkin#bombthreat#suspicousvechilepic.twitter.com/XvyuUmTUXZ

— phil wood (@philwwood) October 21, 2014

 

Police were called and a cordon was raised around the vehicle. Police then went on to carry out a controlled explosion of the cab.

Pictures from the scene show the taxi surrounded by police tape with blown-out windows and a damaged bodywork. The window of a nearby Slug and Lettuce bar is also broken.

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