Hostage situation unfolds in western Australia

A hostage situation unfolds in a park in Bunbury in western Australia, where a man armed with explosives has taken at least one person hostage.

Police cordoned off the corner of Koombana Drive in Bunbury, about 170 kilometers south west of Perth, on Thursday.

The Australian broadcaster ABC said a large sign has been erected at the scene, apparently carrying the demands of the hostage-taker, who has explosives strapped to his body.

Officers wearing bulletproof vests are lying on the ground while firefighters and dog squad officers are also in attendance. Local reporters tweeting from the park said police have warned local residents off the area.

Back in December 2014, a 16-hour siege in a café in the southeastern Australian city of Sydney led to the death of three people, including the gunman. A police officer and three hostages were also injured.