An important incident was declared in Derby, a , which resulted in the evacuation of nearly 200 homes and the arrest of two men on suspicion of offenses related to explosives.
Derbyshire Constabulary announced in a that the evacuations were undertaken as a precaution, and the designated evacuation zone was put in place following the execution of a warrant by officers at a Vulcan Street address, based on “intelligence about materials.”
The two men apprehended were described as one in his 40s and one in his 50s, according to the . These suspects remain in the custody of law enforcement and have not been further identified by authorities.
A local teenager expressed “shock” upon learning about the evacuation of his area.
Esteban Duda, 17, recounted, “I was very shocked, I didn’t know what to do. I literally jumped off my bed, put my clothes on, and then I was just letting everyone know [they had to leave].”
The British Army’s Explosive Ordnance Division reportedly conducted a controlled explosion within the vicinity, as reported by the BBC. Prior to this, authorities had cautioned residents in the area that they “may hear a bang.”
stated that the incident is not being treated as terrorism and poses no risk to the wider community. Nevertheless, as a precautionary step, residents in the affected area are advised to prepare to be away from their homes for a full 24 hours.
Members of the public who are currently away from home or have already evacuated are instructed to send a message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page, as officers are actively checking doors to confirm the area is clear. For those unable to access social media, the non-emergency number 101 should be used.