A 500-kilo bomb has been found in Frankfurt. It should be defused on Wednesday. Around 20,000 people are affected. Inform the city and the fire brigade.
Update from Monday, October 10th, 5:22 p.m.: A 500-kilo dud from World War II was found on Monday (October 10) during construction work near the Katharinenkreisel in Bockenheim, between Rebstockpark and the exhibition center. Defusing the bomb is scheduled for Wednesday October 12th. This was announced by the city, fire brigade and police in Frankfurt in a joint press release. Around 20,000 people are affected.
Due to the design and condition of the large American aerial bomb, the measures taken by the explosive ordnance clearance service could last longer this time compared to other defusing operations. Only extensive preparatory work on Wednesday will show how the dud can be rendered harmless. The authorities have defined an evacuation area with a radius of 1,000 meters around the bomb on Angelika-Machinek-Strasse.
Frankfurt: Large aircraft bomb challenge for explosive ordnance clearance service
According to the city in the press release, the explosive ordnance clearance service believes that the bomb can only be defused by controlled detonation. This poses a special challenge, as the public order office and fire brigade describe: an uncontrolled detonation would mean massive damage to buildings and a great danger to human life. Necessary protective measures at the site where the bomb was found have therefore already begun. Among other things, large amounts of sand and water are available with which to cover the bomb in order to minimize damage to surrounding buildings in the event of a blast.
Around 20,000 residents must have left the restricted area by 9 a.m. on Wednesday (October 12). At this time, all local public transport, i.e. buses, trams, S-Bahn and U-Bahn, will be stopped in and out of the area. “A nursing home is also affected, fortunately no hospital. The restricted area also includes one of the main motorways, the A648, as well as the control room of the energy supplier Mainova,” the city of Frankfurt announced.
Frankfurt fire brigade prepares interactive map for those affected – ball sports hall as accommodation
The Frankfurt Fire Department is preparing an accurate, interactive, searchable map that residents and businesses can use to check if they are affected by the evacuation. The map should be below soon fwffm.info/karte be available. For all residents who cannot find another place to stay, a care center will be set up in the ball sports hall. This is open on Wednesday from 8 a.m.
Transport assistance for people with restricted mobility who live in the evacuation area is also coordinated by the fire brigade. Anyone who needs help should register online as soon as possible at fwffm.info/transport or call the public hotline on 069 / 212 111. The hotline is manned on Tuesday (October 11) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Wednesday from 6 a.m.
The police and city police will check from 9 a.m. whether the area has been completely cleared and will block it until the end of the measures. “It is not yet possible to say when the actual defusing work by the explosive ordnance clearance service can begin and how long it will take,” the authorities conclude their statement on the current situation.
Frankfurt: 500-kilo bomb found at the exhibition center
First report from Monday, October 10, 4:20 p.m.: It’s in again Frankfurt found a bomb. As the police confirmed on Monday afternoon (October 10) when asked, the 500-kilogram dud from World War II was found at the Katharinenkreisel near the Frankfurt exhibition center.
The bomb should be rendered harmless this week, it said. The defusing is scheduled for Wednesday (October 12).
Bomb find in Frankfurt: evacuation necessary in the west of the city
Before the defusing, some preparations have to be made. The bomb is to be moved by several hundred meters, according to the Frankfurt police.
According to the information, the area will be cleared during the defusing. There are no details on this yet.
First had the Hessenschau reported about the bomb find near the A648 and the Frankfurt exhibition center. More information from the authorities will follow later in the day. (Lucas Maier and Christoph Sahler)
Already Earlier this year, a bomb was found and defused in Frankfurt.