MELBOURNE FLAGSTAFF TRAIN STATION DECLARED SAFE AFTER REPORTS OF ARMED PASSENGER PROMPT EVACUATION

Police have declared Melbourne's Flagstaff station safe after reports of a man with a rifle case on a train sparked passenger panic and a mass evacuation of the area.

Metro Trains said a train was stopped at Flagstaff station about 8:30am, and the station was evacuated.

Police Commissioner Graham Ashton said Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) officers searched the train but did not find anything of concern on board.

"We had a report there might have been somebody with a firearm on the train," he told radio station 3AW.

"The CIRT team, critical response members, conducted a search of the train and were content after that there were no firearms on the trains."

City Loop trains resumed normal services about 9:00am after earlier being diverted to Flinders Street station.

Earlier, Public Transport Victoria (PTV) CEO Jeroen Weimar said there were multiple reports of an individual with a gun on a train.

"We currently have a police incident at Flagstaff station and the police are doing a very orderly evacuation of the station," he told ABC Radio Melbourne.

A large number of police remain at the scene.

In a statement at 9:30am, Victoria Police said:

Police responded to reports a man was allegedly carrying a firearm bag on a train at Flagstaff this morning.

Police evacuated the train and Flagstaff Station about 8:30am.

The area was searched and has now been cleared by police.

Police will continue to investigate the incident, however at this time there is no ongoing threat to the community.

Police will remain in the area today to speak with any members of the public who may have concerns.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-28/flagstaff-train-station-evacuated-melbourne/10947304