A man has been arrested for building an ‘explosive device’ at a hotel along Canal Street, the heart of Manchester’s Gay Village.
Chemical substances were found in a room after police evacuated the hotel and nearby bars, just 400m from Manchester Piccadilly rail station.
The man, believed to be a hotel guest, was detained on suspicion of making an explosive device. He was taken into custody for questioning.
The unspecified substances are being ‘safely removed’ from the premises, the force said yesterday evening.
Locals a ‘smell’ coming from the room at about 10.45am yesterday.
A cordon from the junction with Abingdon Street to the junction with Sackville Street was set in place for several hours.
Bar Pop, which is a few feet away from the incident, told customers over Instagram that the bar is still open.
‘You can still access the bar from Chorlton Street end,’ it said.
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The force said: ‘We are working with the hotel management to return the establishment to normal after staff and guests were evacuated as a precaution.
‘We would like to thank the public and surrounding businesses for their patience as we continue with our work.’
The fire services previously toldMetro: ‘At around 11.25am, two fire engines from Moss Side and Gorton were called to a premises on Canal Street, Manchester, of a smell causing suspicion, believed to be chemicals.
‘We are currently working alongside partners from Greater Manchester Police to examine the contents and are working to make the area safe.
‘No injures have but firefighters remain at the scene at this time.’
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