London police carry out controlled explosion near U.S. embassy

British police carried out a controlled explosion near the U.S. embassy in south London after discovering a suspect package, authorities said on Friday.

“We can confirm that the ‘loud bang’ reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” London’s Metropolitan Police said on X. “Enquiries are still ongoing and cordons will remain in place for the time being.”

The police force said in an earlier statement that it was investigating a suspect package in the area close to the south bank of the River Thames, adding that they were aware of speculation about the incident online.

The U.S. moved its embassy from Mayfair, central London, to a 12-storey purpose-built glass cube in Nine Elms in 2018, partly for safety reasons.

The formerly industrial area now houses dozens of upmarket apartment buildings alongside Battersea Power Station, a 1930s-era building recognisable for its red brick and white chimneys, which has been redeveloped as a shopping and tourist centre.

The U.S. embassy said on X that police had closed a road near the building out of “an abundance of caution”.