Grinder Shuts Major UK Train Station in Security Alert
Passengers were evacuated from one of the UK's biggest train stations on Monday, October 31, amid reports of a suspicious package. Sharing that police had told them to get as far away as possible. Commuters at Birmingham New St rushed to social media to comment on October 31 as the drama unfolded.Â
The immediate evacuation caused massive disruption on Monday afternoon, with emergency services swarming the site after the concerning discovery. It caused significant disruption to services that travelled through the station, especially as Birmingham New St is a central hub for travellers across the country either starting their journeys or changing trains mid-way. However, the suspicious item that caused all the trouble turned out to be a cannabis grinder that looked like a hand grenade.
British Transport Police attended the station after a 'suspicious item' was discovered on the platform. National Rail announced the closure shortly after 3.30 pm and warned of possible delays of 60 minutes or more and cancellations to be expected.
With huge cordons quickly erected around the site, the item was assessed. A train conductor allegedly told passengers that a suspected hand grenade had been found on platform number one.
Disruption was expected throughout the rush hour commuter period on Monday evening. In an update, however, a British Transport Police spokesperson said that the suspected hand grenade had been assessed and was deemed safe. The station then reopened again a short time later.
CrossCountry trains released a statement saying, "Due to a security alert at Birmingham New Street, all lines are blocked. Train services running across the whole CrossCountry network will be delayed". The high alert status meant no trains could arrive or depart in the busy cross-country hub. However, it reopened at around 5 pm, with services continuing as usual.
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Liz Filmer
