Major incident declared near US air base in England after explosives arrests

LONDON — A major incident was declared Sunday in a village near a US air base in western England, with residents evacuated from several properties after police arrested several men on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act.Gloucestershire Police said evacuations were underway in Whelford, near RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force base that hosts United States Air Force operations.Residents were taken to a leisure center while emergency services investigated the incident.“The Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team is currently examining a number of vehicles,” police said.A cordon was established around the area, with police saying they believed the incident was contained.A large emergency services presence was reported at the scene, including a Hazardous Area Response Team, which provides specialist medical support during incidents involving hazardous materials and other complex emergencies, according to the BBC.“A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident,” Gloucestershire Police said.“It follows the arrest of several men on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act.”Police said the investigation remained ongoing and urged the public to avoid the affected area while emergency services continued their work.