Shopping Center Evacuated in Sweden After Suspected Explosion Threat

Swedish police received a report about a explosion threat in the mall in the Swedish city of Vasteras and evacuated the shopping center, according to local media.

STOCKHOLM (Sputnik) — A shopping center in the Swedish city of Vasteras, some 80 miles from Stockholm, was evacuated over an alleged explosion threat in an IKEA store, local media reported Sunday, citing police.

"The police have received a report about a threat. As far as we understood, the situation was dealt with as an explosion threat," local duty officer Gunnar Henriksson was quoted by the VLT newspaper as saying.

The police were deployed near the mall, along with the fire service and the ambulance, the officer said.

A large number of people, which is "difficult to estimate," was instructed to leave the site, according to police.

The reports of any explosive device found in the center were denied. No detailed information was immediately available.

Earlier in the day, Stockholm Skavsta Airport was briefly evacuated after traces of an alleged explosive substance were found on a passenger bag. Later, the police concluded that there were no explosive substances on the bag.