A knife-wielding man is holding staffers hostage at a Job Centre Plus facility in England’s Byker, Huffington Post quoted Newscastle’s Northumbria Police officials on Friday. Police have deployed expert negotiators to deal with the accused. Officials said that there was no evidence of anyone being injured so far, The Sun reported.

Security officials have cordoned off the the area and evacuated inhabitants of student accomodation facilities, which are in the vicinity. The local administration has also suspended the Tyne and Wear Metro between Byker and St James’ Park and have cautioned members of the public against heading towards the area.

The accused is believed to be familiar with the Centre’s staffers and the incident is being treated as an isolated one, Huffington Post reported.