The PSNI has condemned a "reckless attack" that saw a hijacked car with a gas cylinder inside explode outside Dunmurry police station in south Belfast.
The attack is being blamed on the so-called New IRA, which claimed responsibility for a similar incident in Co Armagh recently.
Speaking about the attack, Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said that shortly after 10.50pm last night, a delivery driver's car was hijacked in the Twinbrook area of west Belfast and a gas cylinder device was placed in the boot of the vehicle.
"The man was ordered to drive it to Dunmurry police station. The vehicle was abandoned outside the front of the station and police personnel immediately activated the station’s Attack Alarm.
"Police officers immediately and courageously ran into danger, placing themselves in harm’s way, and evacuated nearby homes to protect the community.
"A number of residents, including two babies, were being taken to safety by officers when the device exploded, engulfing the vehicle in flames and sending debris in all directions.
"What this type of device may have lacked in terms of its sophistication and scale, it more than made up for in its reckless unpredictability.
"Thanks to the swift actions of police, no one has been injured, which is nothing short of miraculous."
He described it as a "cowardly attack", adding that it was an extremely traumatic experience for the delivery driver whose car was hijacked.
Fire crews and police officers worked together to put out the blaze.
The PSNI said cordons had been placed in the vicinity of the scene and an evacuation took place.
Members of the public are being asked to avoid the area.
Several weeks ago, what the PSNI described as a "crude but viable bomb" was driven into Lurgan police station after a fast-food delivery driver was hijacked at gunpoint and forced to drive his vehicle there. On that occasion the device did not explode.
Deputy Chief Constable Singleton said that the PSNI "will not be deterred or distracted by last night's senseless and reckless attack.
"We've made great progress as a society and we won't allow those who are intent on dragging us backward to succeed.
"Instead we’ll continue to work with our communities to protect them from harm."
He added that an attempted murder investigation is now under way led by the Terrorism Investigation Unit.
He appealed to anyone who may have seen the hijacked vehicle in the Twinbrook area before 11pm to contact the PSNI.
DUP Leader Gavin Robinson MP has said there can be no complacency around national security following a car explosion outside Dunmurry Police Station.
Mr Robinson said; "The reports of a car explosion outside Dunmurry Police Station are deeply concerning and the full facts must now be established as a matter of urgency.
"If this was another attempt by dissident republicans to intimidate communities and target the police, then it must be met with the full force of the law.
"Only four weeks ago, Lurgan was the scene of another serious security incident. Whether this is reckless one-upmanship between dissident groupings or part of a wider pattern, the intent is the same. They want to drag Northern Ireland backwards and to undermine stability and confidence in the rule of law.
"These are the actions of neanderthals with nothing to offer society except destruction and division. They will not succeed.
"There can be no complacency when it comes to national security. For too long there has been an assumption that these groups had been broken and rendered incapable by the work of the intelligence services. While enormous credit is due to those agencies for the lives they have protected, incidents like this are a reminder that the threat remains real and demands constant vigilance.
"Our police officers and the wider public should never have to face this kind of danger. Those responsible must be identified and brought before the courts."
It is distressing and disturbing to wake up to the news that a car bomb exploded outside Dunmurry police station last night. A busy area, a car bomb left outside residential housing, small businesses and any number of people out and about on a Saturday night working or… pic.twitter.com/T3LiNPfDkD
— Sorcha Eastwood MP (@SorchaEastwood) April 26, 2026
Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey said: "Those involved represent no one, are void of support and have nothing to offer our society. "They should get off the backs of our communities who want to live in peace and continue moving forward to a better future."What is clear is that the overwhelming majority of the public rejects these ridiculous actions and understands they achieve nothing but disruption."
Alliance Party MP for Lagan Valley Sorcha Eastwood said it is distressing and disturbing that a car bomb exploded outside the police station. Posting on X, she said "it is only through the grace of God that there are no casualties".
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP condemned the explosion as a dangerous and reckless act that put local people at risk.
She said: "This was a shocking and dangerous attack in a residential area, and it is only by luck that no one was killed or seriously injured.
"There is no support in our communities for this kind of violence. People here want safety, stability and a future free from the fear, anxiety and disruption these acts bring.
"Those responsible have nothing to offer our society and should be brought to justice without delay."
