General

World War II bomb detonated in Germany

The decades-old ordnance could not be defused, and was blown up instead

An American bomb left over from World War II was deliberately detonated in Munich, Germany. The bomb was found on Monday night by building workers at an old bar that was going to be demolished.

Experts said there was no way to make the device safe because of its fuse, which used a chemical reaction and not a mechanical device like many used in WWII.

The detonation happened in the Schwabing district and was heard across the city. 2,500 residents were evacuated from the area overnight, while those who were far enough away were told to stay in their homes. Some reports say that the explosion caused the roofs of some buildings to catch fire.

BBC reports that around 600 tonnes of unexploded devices are found in Germany each year.

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