London Bus Explosion Sparks Panic Among Those Unaware It Was for a Movie

The blast was for an upcoming movie starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan.

February 7, 2016, 11:46 AM

— -- A double-decker bus was blown up on bridge in front of Parliament in London on Sunday morning, sparking panic from those nearby who were unaware it was done on a movie set.

The loud, fiery explosion was part of a stunt for "The Foreigner," an upcoming action film starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan, according to city officials. Though the film's producers had warned neighboring residents about the blasts, some passer-bys and Twitter users said the city should have better notified the general public about the stunt.

Some said children in a nearby playground were frightened and "freaked" by the blast.

Others were worried the explosion was a real attack.

One Twitter user said the explosion brought back harrowing memories of the 2005 attack on London's transport system, in which 52 people were killed. A bus was also blown up in central London during that attack.

The Port of London Authority said Lambeth Bridge was closed to the public prior to the stunt, and members of the London Fire Brigade were on standby in case anything went wrong.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.