Residents spend night away from Derby homes after major incident

Residents evacuated from 200 properties in Derby remain out of their homes after a major incident was declared and two men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences.

Derbyshire Police said searches at properties in the Vulcan Road area of Derby were continuing on Friday and affected residents have been offered accommodation in hotels.

People were told to leave their homes on Thursday after Derbyshire Police carried out a warrant following intelligence about materials at a house in Vulcan Street.

Two men – one in his 40s, another in his 50s – were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences, and are currently in custody.

The force said it was not being treated as a terrorism incident and that there was “no wider risk to the community”.

Police said a controlled explosion was carried out at about 16:00 GMT on Thursday, with Derby City Council confirming accommodation had been arranged for affected residents for Thursday night “and the coming days”.

The entirety of Vulcan Street was covered by the evacuation zone, as was Reeves Road and Shaftesbury Crescent.

Harrington Street, from Holcombe Street to Vulcan Street; Baseball Drive, up to Columbo Street, and Cambridge Street at Reeves Road and Shaftesbury Crescent were also included within the exclusion area.

Supt Becky Webster thanked residents for their “understanding and response”.

“Being asked to leave your home under such circumstances is understandably concerning and the support that the emergency services have had has been excellent,” she said.

Baggy Shanker, MP for Derby South, said he had been told police work in the area had begun again on Friday morning.

He said the situation had been “very difficult” for the local community, but added he had been told that everyone who needed accommodation had either been supported by friends and family, or had been put in a hotel.

“That just shows the strength of the community spirit here,” he added.

The Salvation Army rest centre in Osmaston Road was closed on Thursday night as all people who were being supported there had left, police confirmed.

The force added anyone who required support should attend the Pakistani Community Centre at 103 Harrington Street, where council staff would be on hand to help.

Speaking on Friday morning, Gary Robb, from the Salvation Army, said the community response had been “excellent”.

“Obviously it’s a stressful time for them but we were able to provide a calm environment and provide some compassion in that crisis,” he said.

Amjad Ashraf, who runs the Pakistan Community Centre, said about 50 families had come in on Thursday afternoon, and told the BBC many had found alternative accommodation for the night.

“We reassured everyone that if you’ve not got anywhere to stay with friends or family, Derby Homes are on site and they’re going to be putting people in hotels.

“The community in the Normanton area always rally around really quick to provide that support.

“We had the Gurdwara which is also on Harrington Street providing refreshments and some food. We had volunteers that came together to provide that emotional support, a bit of hand holding, and at times like this, that’s what’s mainly needed,” he said.

John Morley, 86, lives in the evacuation zone and stayed overnight with his daughter in Allestree.

He told the BBC he was about to put his feet up for a sleep at about 13:30 when a police officer knocked on his door, telling him he needed to evacuate his home.

“I grabbed my tablets, my coat and umbrella, and that was it,” he said.

“I’m okay, it’s just an experience. To think that was going on on our doorsteps.

“I’m eager [to get back in], because it’s odd when you leave your home.”

Amy Anderson, who lives on Shaftesbury Crescent and is six months pregnant, told the BBC she spent the night at her mum’s house with her son, and said she felt like she was “in limbo”.

“I’m hoping we’ll be able to get back in today, but I left the property thinking we would be able to get in last night, so I don’t really know,” she said.

Ms Anderson added she was “very fortunate” to be able to stay at her mum’s house and she knew some neighbours had been put in hotels for the night.

A multi-agency meeting is scheduled to take place at 08:00 and once that briefing has occurred, a further update would be released, police said.

The two men who have been arrested are Polish nationals, Derbyshire Police has said.

A police spokesperson told the BBC it had released this information in line with national guidance around forces being encouraged to disclose the ethnicity and nationality of suspects to combat misinformation.