Gaffel at the cathedral: Free help for evacuees in defusing bombs!

Gaffel at the cathedral: Free help for evacuees in defusing bombs!

There's still a lot going on in Cologne the next day. The events of June 3, 2025 not only caused tension, but also resulted in a large-scale evacuation measure. The reason for this was the discovery of a 5-quintal bomb from the Second World War, which was discovered during construction work in the Deutz shipyard, and the explosive ordnance disposal service (KBD) had to be called to defuse it. This took place at night to ensure the safety of residents after the crawler excavator located opposite the metal body exerted pressure on the bomb, requiring an immediate response.

At around 4 a.m., the public order office completed the first round of ringing in the affected areas, followed by a second round. Around 5,000 residents had to leave their homes until the bomb was defused. The Cologne fire department helped actively to carry out the evacuation quickly and efficiently. Special emergency plans have been prepared for upcoming challenges, particularly when clearing large buildings or retirement homes. The situation was tense, some residents spent the night in a specially set up contact point in the gymnasium of the Humboldstrasse vocational college, while others looked for alternative accommodation.

An offer for the evacuees

In the midst of chaos, this offered Gaff at the cathedral a welcome alternative. From 10 a.m. the doors of the popular beer house opened for the evacuees who were expelled from their homes while the measures were being taken to defuse the situation. An excellent offer was put together - with free WiFi for all those who had to work from home, as well as culinary delicacies in the form of a brewery breakfast and business lunch. In addition, Gaffel had thought of a special promotion: the first 100 guests received a free refreshing Gaffels Fassbrause in the varieties pink grapefruit or lemon. The spacious sun terrace with a view of the cathedral literally invited you to find some peace and relaxation.

Return to normality

Today's news is entirely positive: residents are now allowed to return to their homes, bringing a sense of normality back to the city. However, the last road closures will remain in place until the defused bomb is recovered with a crane and transported away. Buses and trains are running again without restrictions, and a shuttle service is taking those affected home. The rescue workers show particularly clear commitment to the repatriation of weakened or walking-impaired people, who are also brought home by ambulance.

Overall, Cologne is taking the incident calmly. The final cleanup will soon be completed and people can get back to business as usual. Although such evacuations are always a challenge, the city has proven that it can stand together even in crisis situations. This is reflected not least in the quick and effective response of the disaster control authorities and the police, who have to resort to such drastic measures at any time if necessary to ensure the safety of citizens, they report Rhineland News. It remains to be hoped that those affected will not experience such an incident in the future and that their memories will quickly fade.