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Sydney waiter Bruno has been spared being involved this morning's horror in Martin Place by a matter of minutes.
The Lindt cafe worker, who declined to give his last name, says he arrived to work this morning just after a gunman had taken hostages inside the shop.
"I was supposed to start at 10," he said. He arrived a little early, minutes after the cafe was under siege at 9.45 am.
The door was locked, which was unusual for one of its busiest times.
"I saw a guy who looked like he was overseeing everything," he said. "He was standing up while everyone else was sitting down.
"That's when the police came and everyone started putting their hands against the window," he said. "There was a whole lot of people in there".
Was he carrying a gun? "I couldn't see," he said.
Police escorted Bruno from the scene. He refuses to talk about the co-workers whom he fears for - "not until it's all resolved". But he is standing watch.
Another local worker, Akan Beyzade who owns a nearby kiosk, said: "It was about 10 past 10. They [police] came out running like a madman and said close the shop! Get out!"
