Janice R. Andrews
On Saturday night, authorities in Hamburg successfully neutralized a World War II-era explosive device discovered in the popular Sternschanze district. The operation necessitated the evacuation of more than 5,000 individuals from a 300-meter perimeter around the bomb site. Local businesses, including restaurants and bars, were forced to close, and rail services were interrupted as the Sternschanze S-Bahn station fell within the designated danger zone.
Fire department officials urged those within a broader 500-meter radius to remain indoors with windows shut. Following an extensive operation, the bomb was safely defused just after midnight without incident. Residents were permitted to return to their homes in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The explosive was unearthed during construction work at a nearby elementary school. While the discovery of unexploded ordnance from World War II is not uncommon in Germany, specialized bomb disposal units typically handle such situations without major complications.
This event occurred in the same week as a similar evacuation in Cologne, also prompted by the discovery of a World War II bomb.
