Bomber hunted after Dundee tenement explosion

DETECTIVES were last night hunting a bomber who planted a potentially lethal explosive device in a tenement close.

The blast from the crudely made device blew out windows and damaged doorsjnear the entrance to the building in Cullen Place in the Craigie area of Dundee.

Residents staggered through dense smoke to escape from the building following the explosion but no-one was injured in the Thursday night incident.

Tayside Police said yesterday that the device had the potential to kill and also revealed that officers were investigating reports of “loud bangs” being heard in the Douglas area of the city in recent weeks and another explosion in the Craigie area on Thursday night.

Inspector David McIntosh, who is heading the Tayside Police investigation, said: “The device appears to be fairly crude and uncomplicated, but irrespective of whether this was intended to be high jinks or something more sinister, there was the very real potential for it to cause significant damage and put lives at risk.

‘‘In the event, and mainly because of the confined nature of the common close, the explosion damaged doors in the block, blowing them open.’’

Emergency services were called to the scene of the explosion shortly before 10pm on Thursday. Firefighters checked every flat in the building but the residents had already left their homes.

Thomas Glen, 24, one of the residents, said: “It was scary. I thought somebody was trying to kill us. The explosion bust all the windows in my close and ripped my front door in half, just about. The door flew open – there was smoke – and everybody ran out the close.”

Another local resident, Les Mason, said: “It was a very powerful explosion. Had anybody been passing, or had anybody been within 15 to 20 metres when it went off, it would have done considerable damage to them.”

Uniformed patrols in the area were stepped up yesterday as detectives and scene of crime officers continued their investigation.

A force spokesman said: “Items of forensic interest have been recovered from the common close where the device went off and an initial assessment by officers from Explosive Ordnance Disposal, who travelled through from Edinburgh, confirmed there was a lack of sophistication to the device, but it had the potential to cause harm.”

Insp McIntosh said: ‘‘We have received reports in recent weeks of fireworks-related incidents and loud bangs being heard in the Douglas area.

“Clearly, there is tremendous risk in playing with any type of explosive – including fireworks – and we would urge residents to report any incidents they are aware of or information that they have.

“We will have an increased uniform presence in the area in the coming days and I would encourage residents to approach officers and speak to them.

“If you have any information that could help, tell us now before someone injures themselves or others.”

Officers are also investigating reports of a similar explosion at 9pm on Thursday and smoke coming from a patch of weeds in a common garden area in nearby Cullen Place.

Insp McIntosh added: “It is likely that the answers to this incident lie within the local community and I would urge people not to stay quiet out of some misguided loyalty.

“If you know someone who is playing around with fireworks, who has fireworks at home, or who has recently bought fireworks for no obvious occasion or without good reason, then get in touch with us.

“We are relieved that no-one has been injured but the potential dangers should be apparent to everyone.”