The key facts

  • An explosion near a house on Stanhope Street in north Belfast early on Friday morning; police established cordons and are evacuating residents.
  • Councillor JJ Magee called the incident a 'pipe bomb attack' and said no one was injured.
  • PSNI has not disclosed the cause of the explosion or the extent of the damage.

Explosion and evacuation in north Belfast

Early on Friday morning an explosion occurred near a house in the Stanhope Street area of north Belfast. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said officers are responding to a security alert in the area: cordons have been established and a number of local residents are being evacuated. 'Police are in attendance at a security alert in the Stanhope Street area of north Belfast following a report of an explosion at a house in the early hours of Friday. Cordons are in place and a number of local residents are being evacuated,' the police statement said.

Reaction of a local politician

Belfast city councillor JJ Magee condemned the incident, calling it a 'pipe bomb attack'. 'This was a reckless and dangerous act that has left the local community in shock,' he wrote on the X platform. 'Thankfully, no one was injured,' Magee added.

Unknown circumstances

Police have not provided further details about the cause of the explosion or the extent of the damage. No information about casualties has come from official structures; the data on the absence of injuries comes from councillor Magee.