Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Gavin O'Callaghan

City locked down as 'firework in bin' leads to bomb alert at Christchurch Cathedral

A firework in a bin led to one of the city's busiest roads being locked down.

Dublin experienced traffic chaos today after an alarm was raised over a suspect device at Christchurch Place.

The Army EOD team rushed to the scene at around 1.30pm and a robot was deployed to help inspect a bin where the device was sitting.

Major traffic delays were felt across the city while the church was evacuated.

Many of those cleared watched on filming from behind the cordon.

The area was declared safe again at around 3.20pm and it's now believed the device in question was a firework.

A spokesperson for the Irish Military said: "This afternoon, following a request from An Garda Síochána, an Army Bomb Disposal Team was tasked to conduct a post-blast analysis at a premises in Christchurch, Dublin 8.

The team arrived on scene at 2.07pm.

On arrival a cordon was established and the scene was assessed. The post-blast analysis established the presence of firework remnants in suspicious wrapping. The team departed the scene at 3.27pm.

"Should members of the public encounter suspicious items, or hazardous substances, they are advised to maintain a safe distance and inform An Garda Síochána."

Many residents were unable to leave their apartments while shoppers were barricaded in while the operation took place.

Traffic delays are now expected to knock-on into the evening as a result of the incident.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.