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Oslo bomb blast rips through government building

This article is more than 12 years old
One killed and eight reportedly injured in blast at civic buildings including office of Norwegian prime minster
Oslo explosion - live coverage
Amateur footage of the explosion in Oslo guardian.co.uk

At least one person has been killed and several others injured in a what police say is a bomb blast in Oslo.

The large explosion has damaged government buildings in central Oslo, including the office of the Norwegian prime minster.

Norway's public broadcaster, NRK, said one person had been confirmed dead. It broadcast a video of a blackened car lying on its side amid the debris.

A Reuters correspondent said he counted at least eight injured people after the blast.

A photo posted online showed people looking on as smoke drifted through the streets. The caption for the picture said "an entire block exploded".

The tangled wreckage of a car was pictured outside one building.

The explosion at around 3.30pm (2.30pm BST) blew out most of the windows on the 17-storey building housing the office of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, as well as nearby ministries including the oil ministry, which was ablaze.

Stoltenberg was safe, a government spokeswoman told the Associated Press.

Video showed the pavement littered with shattered glass. Norwegian news agency NTB said the prime minister is safe. Newspaper offices in the area were also reportedly damaged.

The city centre – which usually empties in July as Norwegians take their holidays – is currently closed off with all public transport to and from the centre suspended.

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