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Karl Stefanovic Flees Paris False Alarm

Stefanovic Bolts In Jittery Paris After Firecracker Mistaken For Gunfire

Morning television host Karl Stefanovic has been forced to flee from his outside broadcast position in Paris, as a suspected bomb blast turned out to be a false alarm.

Stefanovic, who had rushed to Paris to broadcast live on Channel 9's Today, was preparing for a live cross from the busy Place de la Republique when a woman's scream was heard and a wall of people began rushing toward him. He had no choice but to turn and run also, with scenes of confusion and chaos being caught on camera.

Stefanovic later told audiences that a cameraman had heard someone shout "allahu Akbar," causing the crowd to run. He later spoke to a pedestrian who said exploding firecrackers had been mistaken for gunfire. Around 1000 people were estimated to have been in the area at the time.

A squad of heavily armed police was later seen moving into the area.

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