After a car exploded outside a hospital in Liverpool, killing one man and injuring another, British police arrested three men under terrorism legislation on Sunday.
The three men, whose ages range from 21 to 29, were seized under the Terrorism Act in the Kensington area of the northwest England city, according to counterterrorism police.
Another residential street in the city was also closed off by police. They didn’t say anything about the operation.
On Sunday morning, police were summoned to Liverpool Women’s Hospital after allegations of a taxi blast. A truck engulfed in flames was seen near the hospital’s main entrance in photos.
The car, a taxi, “came up at the hospital soon before the explosion happened,” Merseyside Police said in a statement. The investigation into what transpired is still ongoing, and we may not be able to confirm anything for some time.”
The car’s male passenger died, and the driver was treated for non-life threatening injuries, according to authorities.
On Remembrance Sunday, shortly before 11 a.m., the explosion occurred, marking the time when people around the United Kingdom pause to remember those who have died in wars.
The explosion had not been classified as a terrorist attack, and police said they were maintaining an open mind regarding the reason, but counterterrorism officers were in charge of the investigation.
Home Secretary Priti Patel, Britain’s interior minister, said she was “being kept continuously updated on the horrific tragedy.”
Patients were diverted to other hospitals “whenever practicable” after the Liverpool Women’s Hospital promptly barred visiting access until further notice.
The car fire was quickly doused, according to firefighters, and a person had exited the vehicle before the fire “grew to the amount that it did.”
