MADRID - The emblematic Gran Via in the center of the Spanish capital was closed for an hour on Thursday evening as the result of a false alert over a possible car bomb, Spanish police informed.

The incident began at around 7 pm local time (GMT 1800) when a man abandoned a car in the middle of the street before running away.

Police closed the six-lane street to traffic and launched the protocol for the presence of a vehicle without a driver.

On failing to find any signs of explosives, a trailer was called to take the vehicle away after it was tested for fingerprints and the road was re-opened to traffic.