Huge explosion rocks Baghdad

A huge explosion rocked the area around the United Nations headquarters in north-east Baghdad today.

Early reports say there are at least three dead, with scores of casualties.

Residents as far away as a mile away said their windows were blown out.

Television news reports quoted US military sources as saying there were “scores” of casualties from the blast.

The UN headquarters is inside the Canal Hotel.

US Black Hawk helicopters flew towards the scene of the explosion as black smoke rose hundreds of feet into the air.

“My house shook like it did during the bombing at the start of the war,” a resident in the area around the headquarters said.

Television news reports quoted the US army as saying the explosion was caused by a car bomb.

Television pictures showed rescuers scrambling over the wreckage of the building, where several floors appeared to have collapsed on top of each other.

US troops shouted as they cleared the surrounding streets.

United Nations weapons inspectors worked out of the building during the period before the war.