Aerial bomb discovery in Cologne: Train traffic severely restricted on Wednesday!

Aerial bomb discovery in Cologne: Train traffic severely restricted on Wednesday!

A serious issue is imminent in Cologne: The discovery of several aerial bombs in Cologne-Deutz has led to official measures that will severely restrict train traffic on Wednesday, June 4th. Deutsche Bahn (DB) is preparing for these closures, which come into force from 8 a.m., in accordance with instructions from the city of Cologne. The affected area includes the Cologne Messe/Deutz train station and the Hohenzollern Bridge, which will remain closed while the bombs are being defused. DB employees will ensure that the station is cleared until the closure to ensure the safety of travelers.

The measures are necessary because the city of Cologne has set an evacuation radius that requires the affected area to be thoroughly secured. Meanwhile, trains that normally travel over the Hohenzollern Bridge will not stop at Köln Messe/Deutz station. Travelers must be prepared that some trains could be rerouted or even canceled altogether. DB and the Federal Police will work together to ensure that the evacuation area is secured and travelers are informed accordingly.

The role of explosive ordnance disposal

But what is behind these bombs? After the Second World War, wartime ordnance can still be found in many German cities, including Cologne. These are often old bombs, such as the common five or ten hundredweight bombs, which can still pose a danger. If an unexploded bomb is suspected, the Düsseldorf district government's explosive ordnance disposal service will take action to ensure safety. The decision about defusing or controlled explosion depends on the condition of the bomb and the type of detonator. Impact detonators must be defused the same day, while long-term detonators require immediate evacuation of the area as they can become dangerous over time. The city of Duisburg offers this information on its website.

Explosive ordnance disposal not only assesses the condition of the bomb, but also many factors such as the depth of the bomb, weather conditions and safety measures must be taken into account. This requires close cooperation between the various departments, such as the police and fire brigade, in order to carry out the evacuation and defusing smoothly. Similar processes can also be found in other regions of Germany, where each federal state has its own explosive ordnance disposal service that is responsible for public safety. Explosive ordnance disposal is a complex task that goes far beyond mere defusing, but also includes historical exploration and risk assessment, as Wikipedia reports.

Information for travelers

There is already a lot of information available for travelers in Cologne before the closures. Display boards and announcements in Cologne Central Station and in Messe/Deutz will point out the upcoming restrictions. DB employees are also available to help travelers with any questions or problems. The DB plans to allow train services to run regularly again in the evening, but cannot rule out short-term restrictions. Travelers are encouraged to check the website regularly for current information bahn.de and access it in the DB Navigator to stay well informed.

It is important that citizens in Cologne deal with this situation consciously and strictly follow the authorities' instructions. This is the only way to ensure everyone's safety and train traffic to return to normal soon.