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Bomb found in Bottrop: 1528 residents have to be evacuated!
On September 10, 2025, a British bomb from the Second World War was discovered in Bottrop, evacuation measures affected 1,528 residents.
Bomb found in Bottrop: 1528 residents have to be evacuated!
An unexpected find recently caused a stir in Bottrop: a British 250 kg bomb from the Second World War was discovered during construction work at Lütkestrasse 14 a. The city administration took immediate action because defusing the bomb was considered urgent. According to the City of Bottrop, the evacuation measures begin at 9 p.m. and around 1,528 residents are affected.
The bomb is within a 300 meter evacuation radius, meaning extensive road closures will have to be implemented. Alternatively, the evacuees will be accommodated in the cafeteria of the Willy Brandt Comprehensive School, Brömerstraße 12. It is also particularly important that rail traffic be stopped from 10 p.m. until the dangerous legacy has been completely defused.
The danger of unexploded bombs
What exactly does it mean to be confronted with unexploded ordnance? Unexploded ordnance is unexploded ordnance, which includes bombs, grenades and mines. Police fireworker Matthias Kotulla, who has already been on numerous missions in Berlin, reports that there are still around 100,000 tons of such ordnance in the ground in Germany. The condition of these finds is deteriorating due to corrosion, and many are threatened by the mechanical effects of construction machinery, which can lead to explosion at any time. Long-term chemical detonators that can detonate due to external influences are particularly dangerous, as Kotulla explains. Statistically, there are one or two self-detonations of such bombs in Germany every year, which illustrates the risks n-tv.
In order to detect such dangers at an early stage, aerial photo evaluation is essential. In North Rhine-Westphalia, over 300,000 aerial photos from the Second World War have already been digitized. Geophysicists use magnetometers to measure the earth's magnetic field and locate hidden unexploded bombs. It is estimated that 10-15% of the bombs dropped during the war did not detonate. In many cases, defusing bombs requires the evacuation of entire city districts, as confirmed by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service Deutschlandfunk.
The current situation in Bottrop therefore also becomes an aspect of practical dealing with the past, in which the population must be informed and protected in dangerous situations. Make sure to follow the instructions of the authorities and to contact the relevant authorities if ammunition is found. Safety comes first, because the danger was never really averted.