A bomb threat at a hotel in the heart of Tirana prompted an emergency police response Friday evening, though authorities have since confirmed the alarm was false.
The alert was triggered by an anonymous phone call made to a hotel employee, warning of an explosive device allegedly placed in the underground parking area of the building, located on “Abdi Toptani” Street, a busy central location in the Albanian capital.
Police forces immediately cordoned off the area and evacuated all guests and staff from the hotel. Bomb disposal units (xhenierët) were deployed to search the premises.
“Around 7:35 PM, a hotel employee called the Tirana Police Operations Room, stating that an unknown person had warned of an explosive in the hotel parking lot,” police said in an official statement. “Our teams responded swiftly, securing the area and evacuating everyone inside.”
After a thorough search, no suspicious items or explosive materials were found. Authorities now believe the threat was likely a hoax, but investigations are ongoing to identify the caller behind the false alert.
The incident caused temporary panic and disruption in a normally busy district of the city, but no injuries or damage were reported.
