http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7114306.ecehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGrC5kPBUTQ&feature=channelA car bomb in an abandoned sports utility vehicle parked in New York's Times Square sparked a mass evacuation of the area on Saturday evening.
Armed police were called after a mounted police officer noticed smoke coming from the dark green Nissan Pathfinder at 6.30 pm local time (2230) GMT, followed shortly afterwards by a small flash.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told reporters the car, which was left on 45th Street, just off 7th Avenue, contained three propane tanks, consumer-grade fireworks, two filled 5-gallon (19-liter) gasoline containers, and two clocks with batteries, electrical wire and other components. Hesaid a black metal box resembling a gun locker was also recovered.
The bomb threatened a "very deadly event," said New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, who rushed back to New York from a White House Correpsondents dinner in Washington. However he described the wiring connected to the device as "amateurish."
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A man was reported fleeing the area shortly after smoke was detected pouring from the car, but police later said thee was no evidence that anyone had fled the car moments before the smoke was seen.
A police official said police had evacuated several blocks around the popular tourist area in the center of midtown Manhattan in case there were other devices.
Times Square was eerily empty for several blocks on the busiest night of the week as tourists and theatre-goers watched from behind barricades while anti-terrorism units swarmed the scene.
New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said a vehicle had been left in Times Square, with smoke seen coming from it. Mr Browne said a bomb squad responded and a small fire was extinguished.
Another New York City firefighter who said he arrived early on the scene described the vehicle as a dark-colored SUV, and said it was parked at the corner of 45th Street and Seventh Avenue. He confirmed the vehicle was smoking and also said he saw "a flash" from the back of the SUV. The firefighter said a "mini-explosion" occurred around 6:30 p.m.
"The SUV was smoking. There was a flash and we put two and two together" and an evacuation was ordered, he said.
The bomb squad remained at the scene as of 11 p.m., including a firefighter in a bomb suit. A robot was being used to investigate the suspicious SUV.
Reporters on the scene said they heard an explosion from the area of the SUV around 9:15 p.m. An NYPD community affairs officer said that and another small explosion heard by bystanders were the sound of water cannons aimed at the vehicle in an attempt to break through the glass.
Two fire trucks were also at the scene, prepared to douse the vehicle with water if needed, the firefighter said.
Police allowed some people to enter theatres to view Broadway shows in the vicinity but later blocked other theatergoers from entering. Some hotel guests were allowed back to their rooms.
At least some of the shows were allowed to go on.
The square itself was mostly evacuated by 8 p.m., according to reporters on the scene. Police had evacuated an area stretching from about 42nd Street up to 47th Street and including Seventh Avenue and Broadway.
