A massive World War II bomb has been detonated in Plymouth after thousands of residents were forced to evacuate their homes and numerous schools were closed.
The 250kg German air-dropped weapon, an SC250, was deemed unsafe to move by bomb disposal experts from the Royal Navy and Army following its discovery at a building site on Wednesday. The discovery prompted the evacuation of a nearby Aldi store.
The disposal team determined that the only safe course of action was a controlled explosion at the location where the bomb was found in Southway. Prior to the explosion, sand was piled on and around the device to mitigate the blast and reduce the spread of shrapnel, according to PlymouthLive.
Plymouth City Council reported that approximately 1,260 households within a 400-metre safety cordon were evacuated. Door-to-door visits were conducted to urge residents to leave their homes for their own safety. Evacuated individuals were offered alternative accommodation at Southway Community Centre.
“It is important to note that the UXO specialists will not be able to make the device safe until they are reassured that the area has been evacuated,” the council stated. “Whilst we appreciate that it is inconvenient, we do ask that people support this evacuation, for the safety of themselves and others.”
Chief Inspector Paul Laity of Devon and Cornwall Police said during a press conference on Thursday: “If you are still within the 400m cordon and have not yet evacuated, again the advice is strongly to leave.” He added: “Once the device has been made safe and the armed forces specialists have given the green light, then we will announce this message through the local authority website, so please keep an eye out. This is about protecting lives, yourselves, your friends, your family, your pets. If you are leaving your home, please remember to leave your windows open, turn off your water supply and take essential items.”
