Van explosion near UK train station ‘rocks shopping centre’

A man has been rushed to hospital

Wimbledon Quarter has been evacuated after an explosion at Wimbledon train station which left one person hospitalised.

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that the incident is not terror-related.

A police spokesperson said: “At 10:10hrs on Monday, 17 November, officers responded to reports of an explosion on Queens Road, Wimbledon.

“Police, the London Ambulance Service, and the London Fire Brigade attended the scene and found that the contents of a van had exploded after the vehicle is believed to have struck the roof of a car park.

“The driver, a man in his 60s, was injured and taken to hospital, where his injuries are being assessed.

“This incident is ongoing and is not believed to be terror-related.”

A photograph from the incident shows a van blown out in an underground car park of the Wimbledon Quarter Shopping Centre.

The image was shared to Reddit with the caption: "Crazy! My other half heard this massive blast while in her car. Cue loads of dust and smoke. Then when exiting the parking saw this. Wild."

Local councillors have advised people to stay away from the area for the time being.

The Raynes Park Liberal Democrat councillors told people on X to "avoid the area if possible" due to an "ongoing emergency services incident".

A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 10.06am on Monday 17 November to reports of an explosion on Queens Road, Wimbledon. We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, a paramedic in a fast response car and an incident response officer. We also dispatched paramedics from our hazardous area response team (HART).

“We treated a man at the scene for burns and took him to hospital as a priority.”

The incident has left Queens Road closed in both directions between A219 The Broadway and Princes Road.