A man is in custody after a shopping trolley full of jerry cans and firecrackers was pushed into a building in central Darwin, injuring at least 14 people.
The man allegedly loaded a shopping trolley with jerry cans and firecrackers and pushed the trolley through a building's doors. Some of the jerry cans were still on fire when police arrived at the scene.
Up to 14 people, including a police officer, have reportedly been injured.
The extent of their injuries is not yet known, though it's believed the police officer is suffering from smoke inhalation. Authorities say the injuries suffered by bystanders are not life threatening.
A man surrendered himself to Darwin police a short time later on Wednesday, police said.
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Police bomb experts and fire experts are at the scene, checking for further explosives. Cavanagh Street in the centre of Darwin is closed off while the incident is investigated.
The explosion happened around 11am, local time.
Police have described the explosion as 'significant'.
Charmaine Burton, who was working in a nearby office, said she heard several loud evenly-spaced bangs and that it sounded like a semi-automatic rifle.
She said smoke was billowing out of the doors of the supermarket.
Police were at the doors calling "if you can hear me, come to my voice", she said.
"There was an accelerant type smell, like "kero", or a diesel fuel sort of smell.
"No-one came out of the building in the time we spent there."
The supermarket did not appear to be badly damaged but it and other shops in the CBD Plaza have been cordoned off.
Ms Burton said people were in panic after the incident.
"It was just hysteria, everyone was just in panic and I just hope everybody's okay.
"In the four minutes we stood outside that building no-one came out.
"It was just dead silence," she said.
