Man charged after gas cylinders allegedly ignited, thrown into offices in Gosford CBD

Police have charged a 66-year-old man after two gas cylinders were allegedly ignited and thrown into offices in one city’s CBD.

A 66-year-old man has been charged for allegedly exploding two gas cylinders at different locations in the Gosford CBD.

Officers released CCTV of the man after dozens of workers were evacuated from the Donnison St building around 2.30pm on Thursday.

The man allegedly exploded a LPG gas cylinder described by police as an “improvised explosion device” in the Gosford Legal Aid office on the NSW Central Coast.

A short time later, emergency crews were called to a separate office building after reports of a fire, which were later revealed to be a second attack from the same man.

On Friday, police said they had arrested the 66-year-old at a home in Wallarah at 1.30pm.

He was then taken to Wyong Police Station and charged with two counts of destroying / damaging property with intent to endanger life.

The man was refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court on Saturday.

Police arrested a 66-year-old Wallarah man after appealing for information from the public. Picture: Facebook/NSW Police.

A second building just up the street was allegedly attacked by the same man. Picture: ABC

Following the first attack, NSW Police Superintendent Darryl Jobson said the man allegedly took a “canvas bag on wheels” to a second office belonging to a legal firm up the street, where he then ignited a second cylinder on the buildings third floor.

The fire from that explosion left a 54-year-old employee requiring treatment for smoke inhalation, while fire caused ‘moderate damage’ to the office.

One witness said he was working in the office building when a person threw an incendiary device into the building.

“We ran for our lives,” they told The Central Coast Express Advocate.

Conditsis Lawyers director Michael Mantaj was inside the building at the time of the explosions.

Dozens were evacuated after several explosions and a fire in The Central Coast of New South Wales. Emergency services were called to an office building on Donnison Street in Gosford, in NSW’s Central Coast after reports of several explosions: Picture: ABC

“I didn’t see the guy but someone threw an incendiary device,” he told the ABC.

“All staff are accounted for. Fortunately no-one was injured.”

No one was seriously injured from either locations, and police confirmed there were no further explosions other than those at the two Donnison Street locations.