Condemnation of this morning’s firebomb attack at the Everglades Hotel in Derry have been led by city’s Mayor, Cllr Martin Reilly, who described it as “very cowardly.”
The damaged entrance to the Everglades Hotel following this morning’s firebomb attack.
Staff and over 50 guests were evacuated from the hotel after a masked man placed the device in a holdall on the hotel’s reception desk and told staff he was from the IRA and told them they had 40 minutes to get out.
Police commander Chief Superintendent Stephen Cargin revealed the bomb “burst into ball of flames” as it was being examined by a British army bomb disposal expert at around 2.00am.
No one was injured in the incident.
A burning Volkswagen Golf discovered in the Foyle Road area on the cityside a short time later is believed to have been used in the attack.
Speaking at the scene this morning, CS Cargin praised hotel staff whose actions, he stressed, had saved lives.
He said: “The staff very bravely and very quickly evacuated the hotel and actually I do believe they have saved lives.
Chief Supt Stephen Cargin.
“I have no doubt if that had it exploded earlier we would have dealing with mass casualties and I wouldn’t even want to think about the consequences of that this morning.”
He added: “This is not just an attack on the hotel it is an attack on this whole community. If you attack one person in this community you attack us all and the community are standing shoulder to shoulder.”
Cllr Reilly also condemned the incident as an attack on the entire community.
He also praised the hotel management, staff and emergency services whose “prompt actions and professionalism had undoubtedly saved lives.”
He added: “My thoughts are with the hotel staff at this time. This was a very cowardly attack that will not deter us from promoting our city as a tourist destination.
“It’s very unfortunate that hotel residents and people living in the Prehen Road area had to experience this and every effort will be made to get the Everglades Hotel up and running again as soon as possible.
“This is an attack on the whole city but rest assured, it will not it deter us from the good work we are doing to move the city forward”
The Mayor concluded: “I know who the real heroes of the city are – it’s those who are intent on positively promoting Derry to the wider world, not those who seek to bomb and destroy.”
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