Londoners got a nasty surprise Sunday when a city bus went up in flames on Lambeth Bridge. Little did many know, it was a stunt for the upcoming flick The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan. Many locals were alarmed by the noisy explosion, and the topic quickly caught fire (no pun intended) on social media.
It’s no shock that the city’s residents would be panicked by such a shocking sight. For many Londoners, it was reminiscent of the terrifying terrorist attacks that took place in the English capital on July 7, 2005. Multiple bombs were detonated on the city’s mass transit that day, including one on a double-decker bus. To make matters worse, the stunt took place at a time after MI5 rated the country’s threat level from international terrorism as “severe.”
British novelist Sophie Kinsella was one of the many London residents who weighed in on Twitter about the unexpected explosion, saying that she’d have liked to have been warned beforehand.
Hey film types next time you blow up a bus on Lambeth Bridge maybe tell us first so children in park aren’t freaked? pic.twitter.com/8Ui6YoE9N0
— Sophie Kinsella (@KinsellaSophie) February 7, 2016
The reaction went beyond worried posts on social media; many concerned members of the public called emergency services, according to The Daily Mail. At least one member of parliament tweeted out reassurances, but it was after the explosion had already taken place. He shared a video of the explosion with his message, showing just how big the blast was.
Anyone worried about the exploding bus on Lambeth Bridge just now? It was just for a movie. pic.twitter.com/1ypWZZ6jPp
— Nigel Huddleston MP (@HuddlestonNigel) February 7, 2016
Although the stunt understandably caused alarm, the explosion itself was done safely. There were firefighters on the scene and roads were closed, according to Mashable.
The Foreigner is schedule to hit theaters later this year.
