One person was killed and another injured in a vehicle explosion outside the Women’s Hospital in Liverpool in northern England on Sunday, police said, adding that counter-terrorism officers were leading the investigation.

Merseyside police said in a statement that they understood that the car involved was a taxi, which had pulled up at the hospital shortly before the explosion occurred.

Chief constable Serena Kennedy said the police were called to reports of a car explosion just before 11am on Sunday. “Work is still ongoing to establish what has happened,” she told media.

“We are keeping an open mind as to what caused the explosion but given how it has happened, out of caution, counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation supported by Merseyside police.”

The police said the explosion had not been declared a terrorist incident at this stage. Reuters