Aerial bomb from the Second World War discovered in Cham – evacuation underway!

Aerial bomb from the Second World War discovered in Cham – evacuation underway!

A dramatic incident took place yesterday in Cham, Upper Palatinate: A 250-kilogram aerial bomb from the Second World War was discovered during earthworks. The site of the discovery is on the corner of Joseph-Heilingbrunner-Straße and Sonnenstraße, which prompted immediate action by the authorities. How Neumarkt Current Reportedly, a security area with a radius of 700 meters was set up, which made it necessary to evacuate around 2,500 people.

These included the Sana Clinic in the Cham district and the St. Michael nursing home, whose residents were immediately brought to safety. The evacuees will be temporarily accommodated in the Cham town hall. Important for affected citizens: It is recommended to take necessary medication and personal items with you. A citizen hotline is available for questions and requests for help on 09971/78-002.

Evacuation and deployment of rescue workers

The evacuation measures were carried out with great effort by the police, fire brigade, technical relief agency (THW) and rescue workers. Loud Mercury Around 600 emergency services were mobilized to secure the security area and look after the population. District Administrator Franz Löffler (CSU) also felt compelled to declare a disaster because a threat to life and limb could not be ruled out.

The defusing of the bomb itself only took place after the complete evacuation and lasted until the early hours of July 10th. The detonator could be safely removed and then blown up. The Cham train station was closed during the work in order not to endanger train traffic in the region.

Discoveries of unexploded bombs in Germany

This current incident is not isolated. According to estimates, there are between 100,000 and 300,000 tons of unexploded bombs from the Second World War in the ground in Germany ARD Alpha reported. Every year around 5,000 of these dangerous remnants have to be cleared. Detection is often achieved through analysis of wartime aerial photographs, while targeted searches are used during the construction of roads or buildings. Defusing unexploded bombs is risky, which is why evacuation often has to be carried out if the explosive devices from over 50 years ago cannot be handled safely.

Residents living near the site of the discovery will be allowed to return to their homes this morning after health and safety checks are fully completed. This incident shows once again how important it is to act immediately if unexploded bombs are suspected and to have them disarmed professionally.