Two men bailed after homes evacuated in major incident in Derby

Two men have been released on bail after residents were evacuated from 200 properties in Derby and a major incident was declared.

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

Two men – one in his 40s and another in his 50s – were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences but have now been released on bail, police confirmed.

Derbyshire Police allowed residents to return to their homes on Friday evening but a cordon remains at the property in Vulcan Street.

Derbyshire Police said it was not being treated as a terrorism incident and “all the materials have been removed from the address and are safely stored with no risks to the public”.

Supt Becky Webster added: “While residents have been allowed back to their homes, we understand that the impact of this incident does not stop there.

“A team of detectives have been working round the clock, alongside specialist partners, to help understand the materials found and the wider context of why they are being held.

“I want to be very clear that this is being investigated as offences under the Explosives Act 1875, and there is no information to suggest any intent to harm others or any terrorist related matters.”

Supt Webster thanked residents for their support but said the investigation was not one that could be hurried.

She said: “I would like to once again thank everyone in the community for their support in recent days, we know that the inconvenience caused, and the concerns raised are not easy, and we remain committed to ensuring that updates are provided as soon as possible to ensure that the public are kept informed.”

Residents were told to leave their homes on Thursday when the major incident was declared, and police said a controlled explosion was carried out at about 16:00 GMT that day.

This was while the evacuation zone was active, which included several roads close to Vulcan Street.

Authorities told residents they could return home at about 19:00 on Friday, but a police presence remained in the area.

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.