At a glance
The following is a summary of events as they unfolded in London today, with four attempted explosions - three on tube trains and one on a bus - causing the evacuation of much of the underground system
Press Association
Thursday July 21, 2005
Police and emergency services outside Shepherd's Bush tube station following reports of explosions at three tube stations and a bus. Photograph: Andrew Stuart/AP
12.25pm: Police evacuate Shepherd's Bush tube station on the Hammersmith and City line following an attempt to set off an explosion.
12.30pm: Emergency services are first called to Oval tube station. Around 20 or 30 passengers are evacuated from a tube train saying that they had seen "white smoke". There are also reports of a man dumping a rucksack in a carriage then fleeing as the doors closed.
12.45pm: London ambulance service sends five vehicles to Warren Street tube station after reports of a rucksack exploding on a train in a tunnel just outside the station.
1.15pm: Pubs and offices near Warren Street tube station are evacuated.
1.22pm: London Underground says it has suspended services on the Hammersmith and City, Victoria and Northern lines.
1.30pm: The driver of a number 26 bus reports hearing a bang followed by a smell of smoke coming from the upper deck while driving along Hackney Road in east London.
1.45pm: Transport for London confirms it has imposed a code amber at all three affected tube lines which means trains are taken to the next station and passengers evacuated to above ground.
1.45pm: Police with sniffer dogs comb the pavement along Euston Road, near Warren Street and the surrounding area.
2.05pm: Transport for London confirms that four lines - the Hammersmith and City, Northern, Bakerloo and Victoria - remain suspended.
2.24pm: Metropolitan Police confirm armed officers have been deployed to University College hospital where they are dealing with an incident.
2.40pm: An initial examination at Oval shows that there is no trace of chemical agents.
2.45pm: Downing Street confirms the government's civil contingencies committee, known as Cobra, would be meeting in response to the latest incidents.
3.10pm: London Underground says the Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines have also been suspended, although no incidents have been reported on those lines.
3.20pm: British Transport Police confirm no trace of chemical agents have been found at Warren Street station following the incident there.
3.25pm: London Fire Brigade says officers are deployed at Warren Street tube station in full protective equipment as a precaution in order to examine the scene.
4pm: Armed police and dog handlers arrive at Shepherd's Bush to begin searches of streets that had earlier been sealed off.
