Northolt: Armed police in stand-off with man surrounded by 'hazardous items'

Jamie Bullen22 October 2016
WEST END FINAL

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Armed police have descended on an address in north-west London after reports a man has barricaded himself inside a home and is surrounded by “hazardous items”.

Roads around Wood End Lane, Northolt, were placed on lockdown shortly before dozens of police vans and trucks were sent to the scene.

Police say they believe a man may have “dangerous” items inside the address which they have made no attempt to access following fears for his safety.

According to the Met they were first called at around 1am yesterday morning and have stepped up the operation today.

Police negotiators remain at the scene. Eighty people have been moved as homes were evacuated and a 200-metre radius has been set up as part of the operation.

A police spokesman said: “Due to concerns for safety of the man at the address and the responding officers, police did not attempt to access the property.

Scene: Several police vans are parked at Northolt leisure centre as part of the operation
Steve Carroll

“Police cordons are in place, at a 200-metre radius, to facilitate the ongoing policing operation.

“Armed officers and negotiators are present.

“For safety reasons approximately 80 people have been temporarily re-housed from the immediate area of the address.

Scene: Police were called to Northolt just before 1am (@LFaurePhotos )
@LFaurePhotos

“At this stage police believe there is one man inside the address.

“Whilst it is not known what the man has inside the property, police are treating seriously reports that the items could be dangerous and that attempts have been made by the man to prevent access to the address.

“Police are working with the London Ambulance Service; London Fire Brigade and the Local Authority.”

Police said the incident was not terror-related.

"Police everywhere": Residents reported seeing a sea of emergency vehicles (@LFaurePhotos )
@LFaurePhotos

Residents in Northolt said they were stunned as they awoke to roads placed on lockdown amid a sea of emergency vehicles.

Steve Carroll, 42, from Hayes, told Get West London armed police had taken over the leisure centre car park after an "emergency" was declared.

He said: "We got there around 8.20am for kids swimming lessons.

"Dangerous items": Police were responding to reports a man is inside a home surrounded by "hazardous items" (@LFaurePhotos )
@LFaurePhotos

"When we arrived there was one car outside with lights on. By the time we parked in the leisure centre car park and walked round to the entrance there was 3 cars and 3 vans.

"When we were coming out about 9:45am the car park was blocked off by police and there was police cars and vans everywhere. Armed police there too."

Dr Rekha Elaswarapu told the Standard: “I was driving to the leisure centre at around 7.45am and I just saw police vans everywhere.

“When I eventually got there, five vans were parked at the leisure centre. We don’t know what is happening.

“I have never seen anything like this on such a mass scale in Northolt.”

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