Hotel staff ‘prevented a tragedy’ after a masked man threw a device into its reception area of a four star hotel.
Guests were evacuated to other accommodation in Derry after the device was reported late last night.
It exploded a short time later when army experts were working to make it safe, causing extensive damage to the reception of the Everglades Hotel in the Prehen area of Londonderry.
A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesperson told the BBC that the action of the hotel staff and police officers in quickly evacuating the hotel had "undoubtedly prevented a tragedy".
No-one was injured in the explosion.
