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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Homes evacuated in Derry explosion alert | Homes evacuated in Derry explosion alert |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The police in Londonderry are investigating reports that masked men were seen in the Waterside following reports of a loud explosion on Tuesday. | |
| PSNI Superintendent Chris Yates said one line of inquiry is that the incident was an attack on police. | |
| Homes have been evacuated in the Spencer Road and Fountain Hill areas. Residents have not been told when they can return to their homes. | |
| Police have asked members of the public in the area to be "extremely vigilant". | Police have asked members of the public in the area to be "extremely vigilant". |
| Supt Yates said the explosion was heard all over the city at round 17:00 GMT on Tuesday. | |
| "It shook houses, shook windows and was heard as far as City of Derry Airport, which is 10km away. | |
| "There are reports that a lorry blew its tyre at around the same time. It is a possibility but would that sort of incident cause the shockwaves and noise that was felt? I doubt it. | |
| "There are also reports that a gas cylinder exploded. That is a possibility we need to look into. | |
| "What we also have is reports of masked men who made off from Dunfield Terrace. There are reports of debris landing on top of buildings. There were police officers in the area at time. We are not entirely sure what happened and we are just being very careful." | |
| 'Confusing' | |
| Supt Yates said officers were carrying out routine policing in the area at the time but there are "sensitivities" around what they were doing. | |
| "It is a confusing picture as to what exactly happened. No-one has been able to phone us up and say 'this is where it happened'. | |
| "We need information. Anybody that saw anything suspicious can help us." | |
| Police have said Fountain Hill, Spencer Road and minor roads between Chapel Road and Spencer Road would remain closed on Wednesday to allow for daylight searches. | |
| They have asked anyone discovering suspicious objects not to touch them but to contact police immediately. | They have asked anyone discovering suspicious objects not to touch them but to contact police immediately. |
| Residents evacuated from their homes spent Tuesday night at a city-centre hotel. | |
| Felicity McCall lives in the area and heard the explosion. | |
| "It was extremely loud. It was like a flash-back in time. Immediately neighbours were at their doors. People felt it was some sort of explosion." | |
| SDLP councillor Martin Reilly said there was "still a lot of confusion as to what the cause of the explosion has been". | SDLP councillor Martin Reilly said there was "still a lot of confusion as to what the cause of the explosion has been". |
| "What is perfectly clear is that it has caused significant disruption to all those along Spencer Road and other parts of the Waterside," he added. | "What is perfectly clear is that it has caused significant disruption to all those along Spencer Road and other parts of the Waterside," he added. |