WANSTEAD: Flats evacuated after man threatens to blow himself up

6:55pm Saturday 15th November 2008

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TERRIFIED residents have been evacuated from a block of flats in Wanstead after a man threatened to blow himself up.

Police moved dozens of people out of The Hollys in Hermon Hill at 11.40am this morning (Saturday) after the unidentified resident said he was going to take his own life by causing a gas explosion.

Evacuees were given temporary shelter at a community centre in Woodbine Place while police called in gas engineers to cut off supplies to the building, which is home to a large number of elderly residents.

Parts of Hermon Hill and Wanstead High Street remain sealed off while a specialist police negotiator talks to the man.

Three fire engines, dozens of police and ambulance crew remain on standby outside the block.

One male resident of the flats told The Guardian how police had said he must leave his home for an indefinite period of time.

He said: "Police knocked on different flats and just asked us to evacuate the property. There were five police guys with dogs.

"We just thought someone had broken in because there’s scaffolding along the site. I thought someone might have climbed up the scaffolding and broken into the one of the flats.

“Apparently this man said he was going to blow himself up.

"We are waiting to see if we can move back."

One female resident said: "A police woman knocked on our door and asked us to leave for security reasons. She wouldn’t say why.

“We’ve been to the community centre for a cup of coffee. All I want is to get back

Check the Guardian website for further updates.