GERMANY: Construction workers find unexploded WWII bomb at Berlin's main train station

Record ID: 357644

  • Title: GERMANY: Construction workers find unexploded WWII bomb at Berlin's main train station
  • Date: 3rd April 2013
  • Summary: POLICE ON STREET INSIDE MAIN TRAIN STATION VARIOUS OF DEPARTURES BOARD SHOWING TRAINS HAVING BEEN CANCELLED AND DELAYED DEUTSCHE BAHN SPOKESPERSON, ACHIM STAUSS GIVING STATEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (German) DEUTSCHE BAHN SPOKESPERSON, ACHIM STAUSS, SAYING: "Train travel in Berlin has been disrupted by the removal of an aircraft bomb from World War II, the disruption is however lim
  • Embargoed: 18th April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: History,Health
  • Reuters ID: LVA9ORZN0YLODE3UML4W8G9VT2XK
  • Story Text: German authorities worked to remove a 100 kilogramme unexploded World War II bomb from near Berlin's main train station on Wednesday (April 3), after construction workers discovered the explosive late on Tuesday (April 2).
    "Around 1650 yesterday a bomb was found here where construction work is taking place and it is normal that in construction sites in Berlin work is initially carried out to see if bombs from World War II are still there. One was found here, the site was secured and we are soon starting the removal works but beforehand a security area needs to be cleared. This affects homes, many transport routes so it is a big logistical effort," police spokesperson Stefan Redlich told journalists on the scene.
    He said that the bomb was thought to weigh some 100 kilogrammes and was a Russian aircraft bomb from World War II.
    Evacuation measures were well underway by mid morning, causing delays to many transport routes in the centre of the city.
    "We are clearing a large area around the bomb to have a safety zone so that if something goes wrong, no one is injured. So for example we have closed off an area of the canal, we have closed off the rail tracks going north from the main station and of course many streets and bus routes,"Redlich said.
    A spokesperson for the Deutsche Bahn said that several thousand passengers had been affected by the disruption with long distance trains not being able to travel in the underground tunnels around the main station.
    It is not uncommon for World War II bombs to be found across Germany, most of which are successfully removed without an damage being caused.
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