NY Times Square evacuated

NEW YORK - POLICE evacuated New York's Times Square on Saturday night after a dark-coloured sports utility vehicle was found to be smoking and a small 'flash' was observed by firefighters on the scene.

Officers at the scene said the evacuation order stemmed from an 'emergency investigation' and dozens of officers blocked access to the busy central Manhattan square, which is popular with tourists and theatre-goers..

New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said a vehicle had been left in Times Square, with smoke seen coming from it. There was an unconfirmed report that someone was seen running from the car, Browne said. A bomb squad responded and a small fire was extinguished, he said.

'We're just trying to determine if it was anything other than a car fire,' said Browne. 'We don't know yet if it's anything more than that.' A New York City firefighter who said he arrived early on the scene described the vehicle as a dark-coloured SUV, and said it was parked at the corner of 45th Street and Seventh Avenue.

He confirmed the vehicle was smoking and also said he saw 'a flash' from the back of the SUV. The firefighter said a 'mini-explosion' occurred between 6 pm and 6.30 pm (6-6.30am Sunday, Singapore time). 'The SUV was smoking. There was a flash and we put two and two together' and an evacuation was ordered, he said. Other emergency personnel on the scene called the incident a 'car fire'.

The firefighter said the bomb squad remained at the scene as of 9 pm, including a firefighter in a bomb suit. A robot was being used to investigate the suspicious SUV. Reuters reporters on the scene said they heard an explosion from the area of the SUV around 9.15 pm. Two fire trucks were also at the scene, prepared to douse the vehicle with water if needed, the firefighter said. The square itself was mostly evacuated by 8 pm. -- REUTERS

Singapore Press

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