Cologne on alert: Five hundredweight bomb discovered near university clinic!

Cologne on alert: Five hundredweight bomb discovered near university clinic!

The danger of unexploded bombs from the Second World War is still present in Cologne. Dangerous relics are regularly defused in the city, and the last example shows how important preparations for such operations are. For example, on May 27, 2015, a 1,000 kilo American bomb was discovered in the Riehl district on Kuhweg. This was about five meters deep in the ground and came to light during preparatory work for a district heating pipeline. The defusing required the evacuation of 20,000 residents, making this measure one of the largest evacuations in Cologne since the end of the war Express reported.

The authorities in Cologne must act again on June 4, 2025. During a defusal in Cologne-Deutz, around 20,000 people will be evacuated again, making the deployment of the defusers a very complex project. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service (KBD) highlights that the bombs discovered in Deutz consist of two American 20-pound bombs and one American ten-pound bomb, all with impact detonators.

Current threat in Lindenthal

Another potentially dangerous relic was discovered in Cologne-Lindenthal. There is a five hundredweight World War II bomb in the immediate vicinity of the Cologne University Hospital. The defusing of this bomb is scheduled for next week, and the city of Cologne has already announced extensive preparations for the evacuation. The coordination takes place between the city, the university clinic and the explosive ordnance disposal service of the Düsseldorf district government City of Cologne communicates.

The final evacuation radius, which is crucial for the safety of all residents, is determined by the KBD. Further information on the evacuation measures and defusing will be provided next week. Such precautions are necessary because, as the experts from n-tv explain, long-term chemical detonators pose a particularly high risk.

A complex challenge

Matthias Kotulla, an experienced police fireworker from Berlin, emphasizes that unexploded bombs are a serious problem not only in Cologne, but throughout Germany. It is estimated that tens of thousands of tons of unexploded ammunition are still hidden in the ground in Germany. The condition of these relics deteriorates over time, increasing the risk of explosions, particularly due to mechanical impact or corrosion.

The danger becomes all the more tangible when one considers that statistics speak of one or two self-detonations per year, which underlines the urgency with which such discoveries must be dealt with. In Cologne there is always a risk that old weapons will be discovered during construction or near residential areas. Therefore, proper evacuations and the associated security measures are essential for the safety of citizens.