Explosion at the US Embassy in Oslo: ‘People Ran in a Panic’
A massive bang went off in the heart of Oslo this afternoon. Right near the American embassy, a thunderous boom was heard, and shortly after, dark smoke started billowing up. People in the area seemed to panic, with many taking off running away from the scene. "It was like a bomb blast; I honestly thought it was a prank at first," says a witness who was on their way home from work.
Police cordon off large areas
Police in Oslo responded in force and have now cordoned off several blocks surrounding the embassy. They won't comment on the cause just yet, but they have confirmed an explosion occurred. A helicopter is hovering over the city, and you can smell burnt gunpowder all the way over by the Oslofjord. Boats moored at the docks felt the shockwaves ripple through the water.
Traffic chaos in the Oslofjord Tunnel
As a result of the incident, the Oslofjord Tunnel was closed in both directions for nearly an hour. Commuters were stuck in gridlock while emergency services worked around the clock. "I was sitting in the tunnel and didn't hear a thing, but when I came out, the whole sky was grey with smoke," one commuter recounts. The tunnel is now open again, but police are advising people to avoid the area.
- Police have the situation under control, but the cause is still unknown.
- Several nearby schools and childcare centres were evacuated.
- OsloMet has asked students and staff to remain indoors.
OsloMet on standby
Over at OsloMet – the metropolitan university – classes were suspended for a couple of hours. Students were told to stay away from windows and follow instructions from management. Unsurprisingly, many were on edge, and rumours started flying that it could be a terror attack. Nothing points to that at this stage, but police aren't ruling anything out.
– It's a grim reminder of Oslobođenje
Standing here watching the smoke clear, the word Oslobođenje comes to mind – a term from the Balkans meaning liberation. It's not exactly part of our everyday lingo here in Oslo, but right now, every bang feels like an attack on our very sense of freedom. "It's like a wake-up call that the safety we take for granted can vanish in a second," says an older woman who lives in the neighbourhood.
The incident near the US embassy in Oslo has left a real mark. Even though there are no reports of injuries or any criminal intent, the mood in the city is sombre. Let's hope this was just an accident, and that the Oslofjord can once again be a place of peace and relaxation, not fear. For now, it's about heeding the authorities' advice and looking out for one another.