+ - German City Evacuated for WWII Bomb Removal 2
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Hugh Pickens writes
Hugh Pickens writes writes "In the largest bomb-related evacuation in Germany's post-war history, life has come to a standstill in the German city of Koblenz, where 45,000 people — nearly half of the citys population — have been evacuated after the discovery of three bombs that were dropped by American and British warplanes in the last years of World War II. "Its the largest German evacuation since the end of the war," says fire brigade spokesman Ronald Eppelsheim. The largest of the explosives is a 1.8-ton British air bomb that has the potential to destroy the citys center but the focus of attention isn't on the largest bomb — it's on the much smaller, 125-kilogram American high-explosive bomb. "This one has been transformed on impact of the earth. We might have some serious problems deactivating the detonator," says bomb-disposal squad member Jurgen Wagner. The deactivation of bombs is a common practice in Germany. Last year, a bomb exploded in the German town Gottingen — killing three members of a bomb-disposal squad."
Bombs Successfully Defused (Score:2)
Not that unusual (Score:2)
This sort of thing actually happens a lot; the only thing unusual about it is the size of the bomb. Explosive clearance is part of the permitting process for construction projects in German cities, and in Britain too.
And not just WW2. John Keegan tells of sugar beet fields along the Somme that have to be plowed by unmanned machines that still encounter unexploded shells from 1916.
rj