Thousands of people were evacuated from a northern suburb of Paris while a World War Two bomb was rendered safe on Sunday. Residents in Colombes living within a 450m radius of the device were told by police to leave their homes by 07:00 local time as authorities carried out a bomb disposal operation. An initial attempt to remove the device's detonator failed, prompting authorities to destroy the historic munition in situ with a controlled explosion.
The operation was carried out successfully and the evacuation order was lifted by early on Sunday evening, confirmed the Préfet des Hauts-de-Seine. The bomb was discovered on 10 April during construction work on Rue des Champarons. Authorities secured the site and covered the device with sand while preparations were made for its removal.
Ahead of the operation, local official Alexandre Brugère noted the risks involved and emphasized that it required high levels of preparation. Nearly 800 police officers were deployed to enforce the evacuation zone, while a wider zone restricted outdoor activity for residents.
Local alerts instructed residents to vacate their homes while providing support for vulnerable individuals needing medical assistance. Police confirmed that bomb disposal experts conducted the controlled detonation at 15:20 on Sunday, with the evacuation order lifted around 16:00.
Undetonated World War II bombs are regularly found across Europe, posing risks especially in populated urban areas. Recent years have seen numerous cases of discoveries resulting in evacuations, highlighting the ongoing legacy of wartime ordnance.
The operation was carried out successfully and the evacuation order was lifted by early on Sunday evening, confirmed the Préfet des Hauts-de-Seine. The bomb was discovered on 10 April during construction work on Rue des Champarons. Authorities secured the site and covered the device with sand while preparations were made for its removal.
Ahead of the operation, local official Alexandre Brugère noted the risks involved and emphasized that it required high levels of preparation. Nearly 800 police officers were deployed to enforce the evacuation zone, while a wider zone restricted outdoor activity for residents.
Local alerts instructed residents to vacate their homes while providing support for vulnerable individuals needing medical assistance. Police confirmed that bomb disposal experts conducted the controlled detonation at 15:20 on Sunday, with the evacuation order lifted around 16:00.
Undetonated World War II bombs are regularly found across Europe, posing risks especially in populated urban areas. Recent years have seen numerous cases of discoveries resulting in evacuations, highlighting the ongoing legacy of wartime ordnance.
