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muriel_volestrangler

(101,321 posts) Fri Apr 20, 2018, 06:16 AM Apr 2018

Central Berlin evacuated for World War II bomb removal

Authorities in Berlin have begun the process of defusing a 500-kilogram (1,102-pound) British World War II aerial bomb that was found during construction work on Wednesday.

Evacuations of all buildings within 800 meters of the bomb site started from 9 a.m. to allow the defusal to take place. Berlin's main train station falls within the evacuation area.
...
Police wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that the bomb was in a safe condition and there was not causing any immediate danger.
...
A bomb expert at the site told Ritters that these kinds of bombs were quite stable while they were not being moved, but once they begin to move it can become unsafe, which is why authorities were not taking any risks.

http://www.dw.com/en/central-berlin-evacuated-for-world-war-ii-bomb-removal/a-43464640

Seems strange to do it on a weekday, if there was no immediate danger if it wasn't moved. Maybe Berlin is such a party city that it's busier at weekends?

3 replies

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Central Berlin evacuated for World War II bomb removal (Original Post) muriel_volestrangler Apr 2018 OP

Danger! UXB! KG Apr 2018 #1

That was my first thought exactly! Rhiannon12866 Apr 2018 #2

This is almost always done the minute one of these things is discovered DFW Apr 2018 #3

KG

(28,751 posts)

1. Danger! UXB!

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Apr 20, 2018, 06:18 AM

Apr 2018

Rhiannon12866

(205,507 posts)

2. That was my first thought exactly!

Reply to KG (Reply #1)

Fri Apr 20, 2018, 06:31 AM

Apr 2018

That was an excellent series!

DFW

(54,408 posts)

3. This is almost always done the minute one of these things is discovered

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Apr 20, 2018, 07:32 AM

Apr 2018

The instant a 500 pound bomb is uncovered, just the vibrations in the ground from thousands of trains rolling over it or trucks rolling by it could set it off. In Germany, they never wait to defuse these bombs when they are exposed. They still find them in my part of Germany, too. Same thing. First priority bar none--defuse and remove. The "no immediate danger" assessment is only valid under calm, ideal conditions with no possibility of outside influence--something that can be attempted, but not guaranteed. The Germans are correct here. Safety is first, inconvenience just has to be suffered. Risking 5000 lives and five billion euros' worth of damaged infrastructure in the middle of your capital city is not worth the risk, no matter how small.

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