It’s been over half a century since World War II came to an end, but its impact is still being felt on the land where it took place. That’s the case in both the metaphorical sense and the literal one. Late last year, five people were hospitalized in Germany due to the effects of an unexploded bomb that dated back to the conflict in question. Now, the coastal town of Great Yarmouth in England has had its own run-in with vintage ordinance.
As The Guardian revealed, the bomb was discovered by contractors working at a river crossing. The device weighed over 550 pounds and, once found, authorities immediately began working to disarm it. You’ll note the use of the past tense in terms of the bomb’s weight — that’s because the disarming didn’t go as planned, and instead resulted in the bomb exploding.
Thankfully, no one was hurt as a result.
World War II-Era Bomb Sends Five People in Germany to the Hospital
The situation was addressed quicklyLocal law enforcement issued an update on social media in the wake of the detonation. “This was not a planned detonation & happened during slow burn work to disarm the explosives,” they wrote. “All army & emergency service personnel are accounted for. We will bring you further info when we have it.”
The area around the bomb had been cordoned off prior to the attempted disarming. Nick Davison of the Norfolk constabulary told The Guardian, “This was the final phase of a delicate operation which has caused much disruption in the town, but we’re hopeful this could be resolved soon and that cordons can be lifted, if everything goes to plan.”
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