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Frankfurt residents evacuated after second world war bomb found Explosives experts defuse second world war bomb in Frankfurt
(about 11 hours later)
Thousands of residents in Frankfurt evacuated their homes early on Sunday ahead of the planned defusing of a massive second world war bomb discovered on a building site in the German financial capital. German explosives experts defused a massive second world war bomb in the financial capital of Frankfurt on Sunday after tens of thousands of people evacuated their homes.
A steady flow of people filed into a temporary centre at Frankfurt’s trade fair site, in Germany’s biggest evacuation since the war. About 60,000 people were ordered to leave in what was Germany’s biggest evacuation since the war, with more than 1,000 emergency service workers helping to clear the area around the bomb, which was discovered on a building site last week.
The bomb was found last week in the city’s leafy Westend suburb, where many wealthy bankers live, and the evacuation area included the country’s central bank where $70bn in gold reserves are stored. The bomb was found last week in the city’s leafy Westend suburb, where many wealthy bankers live, and the evacuation area included the country’s central bank, where $70bn (£54bn) in gold reserves are stored.
About 60,000 people had to leave their homes and Frankfurt fire and police chiefs said they would use force if necessary to clear the area, warning that an uncontrolled explosion of the bomb would be big enough to flatten a city block. Frankfurt fire and police chiefs said they would use force if necessary to clear the area, warning that an uncontrolled explosion of the bomb would be big enough to flatten a city block.
Police set up cordons around the evacuation area, which covered a radius of 1.5km, as residents dragged suitcases with them and many families rode away from the zone by bicycle. Police set up cordons around the evacuation area, which covered a radius of just under a mile (1.5km), as residents dragged suitcases with them and many families left by bicycle.
The fire service said the evacuation of two hospitals, including premature babies and patients in intensive care, had been completed and they were helping about 500 elderly people leave residences and care homes. The fire service said the evacuation of two hospitals, including premature babies and patients in intensive care, had been completed and they were helping about 500 elderly people to leave residences and care homes.
More than 2,000 tonnes of live bombs and munitions are found each year in Germany. In July, a kindergarten was evacuated after teachers discovered an unexploded second world war bomb on a shelf among some toys. More than 2,000 tonnes of live bombs and munitions are found each year in Germany, even under buildings. In July, a kindergarten was evacuated after teachers discovered an unexploded second world war bomb on a shelf among some toys.
In Frankfurt, bomb disposal experts will use a special system to try to unscrew the fuses attached to the HC 4,000 bomb from a safe distance. If that fails, a water jet will be used to cut the fuses away from the bomb. British and American warplanes pummelled Germany with 1.5 million tonnes of bombs that killed 600,000 people. Officials estimate that 15% of the bombs failed to explode, some burrowing six metres (yards) deep.
The bomb is assumed to have been dropped by Britain’s Royal Air Force during the 1939-45 war. British and American warplanes dropped 1.5 million tonnes of bombs on Germany that killed 600,000 people. Officials estimate 15% of the bombs failed to explode, some burrowing six metres deep.
Three police explosives experts in Goettingen were killed in 2010 while preparing to defuse a 1,000lb (450 kg) bomb.
Frankfurt police said they would ring every doorbell and use helicopters with heat-sensing cameras to make sure nobody is left behind before they start diffusing the bomb on Sunday. Three police explosives experts in Göttingen were killed in 2010 while preparing to defuse a 450kg (1,000lb) bomb.
Roads and transport systems, including parts of the underground, will be closed during the work and for at least two hours after the bomb is defused, to allow patients to be transported back to hospitals. Frankfurt police said they rang every doorbell and used helicopters with heat-sensing cameras to make sure nobody was left behind before they began defusing the bomb on Sunday.
Air traffic from Frankfurt airport could also be affected and small private planes, helicopters and drones were banned from the evacuation zone. Most museums were offering residents free entry on Sunday. Roads and transport systems, including parts of the underground, were closed during the work and for at least two hours after the bomb was defused, to allow patients to be transported back to hospitals.
Small private planes, helicopters and drones were banned from the evacuation zone. Most museums were offering residents free entry on Sunday.