Police in Northern Ireland said a package delivered to a hotel at Ebrington Square in Londonderry on Tuesday afternoon contained a viable explosive device^1,2.

The package was found about 15:20 GMT at the hotel in the Waterside, BBC News NI reported¹. The Irish Times, carrying PA, said the alert was first triggered at 3.20 p.m. while a Halloween funfair was taking place nearby².

Army bomb disposal specialists attended and carried out a controlled explosion, both accounts said^1,2. The remnants were taken away for forensic examination^1,2.

People were evacuated from the hotel and from neighboring premises^1,2. BBC News NI said the nearby funfair remained open during the alert¹.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Det Supt Kearney condemned what he called a "reckless and targeted attack"¹. The Irish Times said police described significant disruption and distress to the local community².

Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long condemned the incident, saying a viable device had been placed near families and young people celebrating Halloween^1,2.

Ulster Unionist councillor Darren Guy, who chairs a local policing and community safety partnership, said he believed the timing was meant to cause maximum disruption during the city's 40th Halloween celebrations and suggested a possible link to a Ministry of Defence careers stall at the hotel in September¹. Sinn Fein councillor Christopher Jackson said it was too early to speculate about any such link and that clarification was needed from those responsible¹.

DUP assembly member Julie Middleton also condemned a viable device being left in a busy public area².

No group had claimed responsibility in the reporting, and police had not publicly identified a suspect^1,2.