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Bethnal Green second world war bomb: hundreds go home after device defused Bethnal Green second world war bomb: hundreds go home after device defused
(35 minutes later)
Hundreds of residents in east London have been allowed to return to their homes after an army unit spent more than a day defusing a second world war bomb found on a building site.Hundreds of residents in east London have been allowed to return to their homes after an army unit spent more than a day defusing a second world war bomb found on a building site.
The 500lb German bomb was discovered by contractors in the basement of a property on Temple Street in Bethnal Green at lunchtime on Monday. Police put in place a 200-metre hazard zone and the evacuation of 700 people from local houses and businesses. The 500lb German bomb was discovered by contractors in the basement of a property on Temple Street in Bethnal Green at lunchtime on Monday. Police put in place a 200-metre hazard zone and evacuated 700 people from local houses and businesses.
Experts from the Ministry of Defence arrived at the site at around 5pm to defuse the device and continued to work throughout Monday night and Tuesday morning. Families were evacuated to nearby Bethnal Green Academy, where Tower Hamlets council had set up a rest centre with beds, food, drinks and washbags. Experts from the Ministry of Defence arrived at the site at around 5pm to defuse the device and continued to work throughout Monday night and Tuesday morning. Families were evacuated to nearby Bethnal Green academy, where Tower Hamlets council had set up a rest centre with beds, food, drinks and washbags.
On Tuesday, the mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs, said: “I am pleased to announce that residents can return home as the unexploded bomb has been safely removed and defused. Many thanks to the emergency services who worked tirelessly with us to make the area safe as soon as possible.On Tuesday, the mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs, said: “I am pleased to announce that residents can return home as the unexploded bomb has been safely removed and defused. Many thanks to the emergency services who worked tirelessly with us to make the area safe as soon as possible.
“My thanks also go out to our residents who have been incredibly patient and understanding throughout this incident.”“My thanks also go out to our residents who have been incredibly patient and understanding throughout this incident.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Matthew Burroughs, a station manager for the London fire brigade, said the process was proving difficult because of the location of the bomb. “It’s in the basement of a property. All the disposal unit can do is make it reasonably safe, but they’ve then got to get the bomb out. It’s hoped at sometime today the bomb will be removed from the property, but it’s difficult because we can’t just carry it out the doorway, it’s a 500lb bomb,” he said. Earlier on Tuesday, Matthew Burroughs, a station manager for the London fire brigade, said the process was proving difficult because of the location of the bomb. “It’s in the basement of a property. All the disposal unit can do is make it reasonably safe, but they’ve then got to get the bomb out. It’s hoped at some time today the bomb will be removed from the property, but it’s difficult because we can’t just carry it out the doorway, it’s a 500lb bomb,” he said.
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“I found out I couldn’t get home at around midnight,” said one resident, Glynn Russell. “Police told me to come to the school. I stayed awake all night because I couldn’t sleep, I just spoke to my neighbour. It wasn’t very comfortable but staff did their best. One resident, Glynn Russell, said: “I found out I couldn’t get home at around midnight. Police told me to come to the school. I stayed awake all night because I couldn’t sleep. I just spoke to my neighbour. It wasn’t very comfortable but staff did their best.
“There were canvas metal bed frames for everyone, like camping beds. People were concerned about getting home to their clothes and medication. I don’t think I’ll be going in to work today, I’ve been up for 24 hours.” “There were canvas metal bed frames for everyone, like camping beds. People were concerned about getting home to their clothes and medication. I don’t think I’ll be going in to work today. I’ve been up for 24 hours.”
Students from the school volunteered to help. Jake Hamilton, 14, said: “I felt sorry for the people who have been evacuated so we decided to come and support them.”Students from the school volunteered to help. Jake Hamilton, 14, said: “I felt sorry for the people who have been evacuated so we decided to come and support them.”
His mother, Mary Hamilton, added: “We heard about the bomb last night and came to the school around 9pm to see what’s going on. We’ve been up all night.”His mother, Mary Hamilton, added: “We heard about the bomb last night and came to the school around 9pm to see what’s going on. We’ve been up all night.”
An MoD spokesman said that a specialist military bomb disposal team from 11 EOD Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps, helped defuse the bomb. Earlier this year, the squadron defused similar bombs in Bermondsey in east London, Wembley in the north-west of the city and in White City, west London. An MoD spokesman said that a specialist military bomb disposal team from 11 EOD Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps, helped defuse the bomb. Earlier this year, the squadron defused similar bombs in Bermondsey, south London, Wembley in the north-west of the city and in White City, west London.