Sunday, near Paris, deminers carried out the controlled detonation of a World War II explosive device, reported an AFP journalist, after the evacuation of several thousand people.
Close to 800 police officers cordoned off the site, located in the northwest suburb of Colombes, where the device was discovered on April 10 during construction work. The device measured 1.06 meters in length without its tail section and 33 centimeters in diameter.
An AFP journalist heard the explosion around 3:20 pm local time when the deminers detonated the bomb in a two-meter deep pit.
Authorities confirmed the successful completion of the operation.
The controlled detonation was ordered after an initial unsuccessful attempt to extract the detonator from the device, which measured over a meter long, not including the rear section.
Images from the operation showed the heavy, rusted metal relic resting at the bottom of a sandy pit firmly secured by thick, raw wooden planks embedded in front of concrete walls. Extensive covering work was then needed to smother the blast of the detonation.
A muffled noise followed by heavy echoes reverberating hundreds of meters around echoed through the empty streets of this western Paris suburb, while a drone flew over the site to inspect the crater and ensure the total security of the area.
Residents living within a 450-meter radius were instructed on Sunday morning to go to local reception centers. Authorities plan to allow them to return to their homes later in the day. Some local roads were closed to traffic and public transportation.
On Thursday, Alexandre Brugere, a local official, described the operation as “risky” and emphasized the need for “meticulous preparation.”
Unexploded World War II munitions are still being discovered across Europe, particularly in Germany where bombs are regularly unearthed at construction sites, 80 years after the end of the conflict.
The neutralization of such relics in dense urban areas recalls the shutdown of the Gare du Nord in Paris in March 2025 after the discovery of a 500-kilogram bomb, which required the evacuation of schools and residents under the supervision of 300 police officers.
📌 Context: The article reports on the controlled detonation of a World War II explosive device near Paris and the subsequent evacuation and safety measures taken by authorities. 🔍 Fact Check: The bomb’s dimensions, the number of police officers involved, and the impact on residents and local transportation are accurately reported.
