One person killed in car explosion in front of Liverpool Hospital

British counter-terrorism police have been tasked with investigating a car explosion on Sunday outside a women's hospital in Liverpool in northern England, which killed a person and the circumstances remain unclear, local police said.

Merseyside police said they were notified Sunday at around 11:00 local time and GMT of the explosion and immediately intervened.

"Unfortunately, we can confirm that one person has died and another has been taken to hospital, where he is receiving treatment for his injuries, which are not life-threatening," the police said in a statement.

She added: "So far we know that the car in question was a taxi that stopped in front of the hospital shortly before the explosion," noting that "work is underway to determine what happened."

"We remain open about the cause of the explosion, but given the way it happened and as a precautionary measure, Counter Terrorism Police will lead the investigation with the support of Merseyside Police."

She stressed that the explosion "was not declared a terrorist incident at the present time."

The police imposed a security cordon at the site of the explosion and closed roads to traffic near the place from where gray smoke was rising, according to pictures published on the websites of local media.

Police urged residents to "remain calm but careful".

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