Staff at a parcel centre in Athlone are being praised for their quick response to the discovery of suspicious devices last night that resulted in the evacuation of over 200 people.
A suspect package was discovered during a routine security and customs check within the DPD distribution centre at around 7pm last night.
Gardai were alerted and staff exited quickly with a local supermarket also closing as a precaution.
After 8pm members of the Defence Forces' Explosive Ordnance Disposal attended the scene and removed the items for examination and later declared them "not viable" and staff were allowed back to work after 9am
Patricia Lennon is chief financial officer with DPD and says they have never had the centre evacuated before for such a security alert:
