Bomb discovery in Cologne-Deutz: Huge evacuation for 20,000 people!

Bomb discovery in Cologne-Deutz: Huge evacuation for 20,000 people!

An unexpected bomb discovery causes great excitement in Cologne-Deutz. On June 4, 2025, three unexploded bombs were discovered during construction work - including two American 20-pound bombs and a ten-pound bomb, all with impact detonators. These discoveries lead to one of the largest evacuation operations since the Second World War Express reported. Around 20,000 people have to leave their homes and offices within a radius of 1,000 meters from the site.

The affected areas include not only the Lanxess Arena, but also central traffic routes such as the Hohenzollern Bridge, Deutzer Bridge and Severins Bridge. Fortunately, Cologne Cathedral is not affected by the evacuation measures. However, the situation is serious for the safety of the population. The explosive ordnance disposal service, whose task is to remove explosive ordnance and war remnants, quickly took care of defusing the recovered bombs. The Estonian service was particularly necessary because the bombs cannot be easily transported away without first being defused, as stipulated in the various explosive ordnance disposal guidelines.

Fast response from the authorities

The Cologne fire department and the public order office have already taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of residents. The evacuation of the affected people took a total of six hours. Those affected include residents, employees of surrounding offices and guests in around 60 hotels and two nearby nursing homes. A contact point was set up in the gymnasium of the Humboldstrasse vocational college, where the evacuees could settle in for the night. Some chose to stay in the shelter while others sought private accommodation.

There were clear recommendations for residents: they should take identification documents, medication, baby food and other important things with them. However, pets could not be brought inside the contact point. A shuttle service also ensures that affected people, especially those who are sick or have mobility problems, are brought home safely.

Authorities work together democratically

The evacuation and subsequent defusing of the bombs are part of the regular work of the explosive ordnance disposal service, which plays a central role in public safety. The frequency of such operations is not new in Germany and the tasks are clearly regulated. Interestingly, after the Second World War, the approach was constantly optimized to eliminate major risks. The responsible authorities always aim to prevent damage and ensure the safety of the population Wikipedia represents.

Some streets will remain closed after defusing until the bombs are completely recovered and removed. But while traffic now continues, residents are assured that appropriate safety precautions are being taken to avoid such incidents in the future. Such developments are conceivable at any time, but with good staff and clear planning, this challenge can also be overcome.