A block of flats in Braintree had to be evacuated after a man threatened to set fire to himself and his home.
Police and firefighters were called to Marlborough Road, Braintree, after a neighbour raised the alarm.
Officers said they had received a 999 call from a neighbour who said the man was shouting and had threatened to set himself and the flat alight at about 10am yesterday.
Aftermath - police remove a weapon from the scene. Picture: STEVE BAINBRIDGE
One of the man's neighbours, who did not wish to be named, said: "He just started banging around and shouting. He said he was going to blow us all up."
Police evacuated the building and ambulance crews were called in.
Three unarmed police officers from Braintree police station went into the flat to negotiate with the man.
About 90 minutes later the man was taken away from the scene by police.
Officers confiscated a number of air weapons from the flat as a precautionary measure.
An Essex Police spokesman said: "We received a call about a man who was very agitated and was threatening to set fire to himself.
"However, when we entered the flat, he had already begun to calm down and our officers spoke to him and calmed him down further."
The spokesman added the incident was not being treated as a crime and no charges would be brought against the man.
Published Tuesday November 5, 2002
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