Homes evacuated as bomb squad called after man 'barricades himself' inside property

Homes evacuated as bomb squad called after man 'barricades himself' inside property Emergency services were called to the scene at 7.30am, with nearby homes evacuated shortly after. Emergency services have swarmed a residential street after a man reportedly barricaded himself inside a house and made threats in Hemlington. The incident was reported in Osbourne Close at around 7.30am on Thursday following concerns for the man's welfare. A spokesperson for Cleveland Police confirmed the man had reportedly made threats and specialist officers were deployed to the scene. A cordon has been put in place and around 20 nearby homes have been evacuated as a precaution. Armed officers and the bomb squad remain at the scene alongside firefighters and paramedics while the incident continues. Superintendent Paul Allen said: "At this time, we remain on the scene at Osbourne Close and negotiations with the man in the property are ongoing, our priority is to bring this incident to safe conclusion. “We have extended the cordon; this has resulted in more properties being evacuated. Middlesbrough Council has set up a rest centre for anyone who has been displaced, this can be located at Hemlington Library. “I would like to reassure the community that this is an isolated incident, in a single property. Any specialist equipment and services, including the explosives unit, are at the scene as a precaution at this stage." This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link . You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage . [Image text:] OSSODRNE CLOSE 6OFICEDONOLCE borICEDONOI CBOOe