http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2136105/BREAKING-NEWS-Thousand-workers-evacuated-amid-central-London-bomb-threat-man-wearing-gas-canister-storms-offices-takes-hostages.html

BREAKING NEWS: Thousand workers evacuated amid central London bomb threat after 'man wearing gas canister storms offices and takes hostages'

By EDDIE WRENN and MATT BLAKE

PUBLISHED: 06:55 EST, 27 April 2012 | UPDATED: 07:27 EST, 27 April 2012

Armed police have evacuated at least 1,000 workers in central London after a suspected bomber stormed an office building and took hostages.

The man, who witnesses claimed had strapped gas canisters on to his back, entered the office of an HGV firm inside Shropshire House, on the corner of Tottenham Court Road and Capper Street.

He is understood to have taken four hostages there amid claims that he was twice denied a licence.

Officers, including explosives experts and police negotiators, sealed off the block as the man begun hurling objects from a fifth floor windows and threatened to blow himself up.

Bystanders, some of whom reported hearing shots being fired, have now been pushed back to Euston Road, which is about half a mile from the scene.

Pictures from the siege at Shropshire House, Tottenham Court Road: Witnesses say hostages have been taken inside the building

The cordon on Tottenham Court Road, where more than 1,000 workers have been evacuated

More than 1,000 people have been evacuated, it is believed. Police would not confirm reports that the man had strapped gas canisters to his body.

Abby Baafi, 27, head of training and operations at Advantage, a company which offers HGV courses, told the Huffington Post that the man had targeted her offices and was currently holding four men hostage.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: 'It is at an office building, where there is a man causing a disturbance by throwing items out of a fifth floor window.

'There are negotiators there.'

Hostages leave the building during the siege, as the road is cleared of workers, shoppers and pedestrians

Drama: Equipment was thrown out of the windows of the building

The siege is occurring at Shropshire House, Tottenham Court Road in London, above the Starbucks

Speaking from Tottenham Court Road, Alan Edwards, who works in the building, told SkyNews rumours were that he was aggrieved because he had been denied an HGV licence.

The man apparently stormed into the logistics office yelling: ‘I have nothing more to live for.’

Stephen Hull is executive editor of the Huffington Post UK website, which is in the same building, although unconnected to the attack, which is though to involve a logistics business.

He posted on Twitter: 'Just interviewed woman who was target of attack. Man came into logistics office strapped up with 4 canisters threatening to blow himself up.

'Abby Baafi told us she told suspect she was three months pregnant to escape.

'Abby told us she'd met suspect before. He said he didn't have anything to live for and wanted to blow the place up.'