An Army bomb disposal team has carried out a controlled explosion after a suspicious package sparked the evacuation of Asda's headquarters in Leeds. Emergency services rushed to Asda House on Great Wilson Street on Monday (November 9), with police, ambulance crews and Army personnel attending the scene.
Evacuation and Police Response
Workers were evacuated from the building as a precaution, while a major police cordon was established and surrounding roads were closed. West Yorkshire Police confirmed officers received reports of a suspicious package having been sent to the supermarket giant's headquarters at 11.16am.
An Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team was called to the scene and subsequently carried out a controlled explosion on the package. Police have confirmed nobody was harmed in the incident and reassured members of the public that there is no wider threat.
Witness Accounts
Pictures from the scene showed emergency vehicles stationed outside the building, with workers gathering on a grassy area opposite the headquarters. One employee told Yorkshire Live that staff initially believed the evacuation was a drill.
They said: "The alarm didn't go off at the beginning. Someone came round our desks and told us to get out immediately. We thought it was a drill, to begin with."
Another worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "We trust in the process that everything will be good. We got instructions to evacuate and we heard the emergency fire alarm. Generally, we are trained to respond to these emergency situations. We didn't know what the situation was."
Traffic Disruption and Ongoing Investigation
Further bomb disposal vehicles were spotted arriving at the scene shortly after 4.30pm, while a fire engine was pictured at the location at around 5pm. The incident has also caused significant traffic disruption across Leeds city centre, with several roads closed as emergency services continue their investigations.
Traffic monitoring service Inrix reported: "A653 Great Wilson Street One Way Street closed, queueing traffic due to police incident from Asda House to Crown Point Road. Heavy congestion on surrounding roads, Neville Street and Victoria Road."
West Yorkshire Police warned that closures were expected to remain in place throughout the evening rush hour. A spokesperson said: "Motorists are advised to avoid parts of Leeds city centre for the coming hours due to the ongoing incident in Great Wilson Street.
"Emergency services are still at the scene and it is anticipated that road closures will remain in place throughout this evening's rush hour causing disruption to traffic. An Army EOD team have conducted a controlled explosion to a suspicious package and further investigation is ongoing.
"Nobody has been harmed as a result of this morning's incident and there is no wider threat to the public. Roads affected include: Victoria Road, Meadow Lane, Neville Street, Bridge End and Great Wilson Street. We appreciate your patience during the road closure. Thank you."
