Emergency services at a major French hospital were thrown into complete disarray after a patient arrived with an extremely dangerous and unexpected item lodged internally. Rangueil Hospital in Toulouse, southern France, was forced to call in a specialised bomb disposal unit following the admission of a 24-year-old man complaining of severe abdominal and rectal pain.
Chaotic Scene in A&E Department
The extraordinary incident unfolded on Saturday night, January 31st, when the young man presented himself at the hospital's emergency department. Medical staff were initially dealing with what appeared to be a routine case of severe discomfort, but the situation escalated dramatically when the nature of the problem became apparent.
Patient's Unusual Admission
According to reports from French media outlet La Dépêche, the patient explained to attending physicians that he had deliberately "introduced an object" into his rectum. However, he notably failed to specify exactly what this object was, leaving medical professionals completely unprepared for what they would eventually discover.
Further examination and imaging revealed the shocking truth: the foreign body was not a typical item but rather a live artillery shell dating back to the First World War. The discovery immediately transformed a medical emergency into a major security incident, requiring immediate specialist intervention.
Bomb Disposal Experts Mobilised
Hospital authorities had no choice but to contact explosive ordnance disposal teams, who rushed to the medical facility to assess and handle the potentially lethal situation. The presence of an active century-old munition within a hospital environment created unprecedented safety concerns for patients, staff, and the surrounding area.
The bomb squad's arrival caused significant disruption to normal hospital operations as they worked to safely contain and remove the hazardous item. Emergency protocols were activated throughout the facility as experts carefully managed the delicate extraction process.
Historical Munitions Pose Ongoing Risk
This bizarre case highlights the continuing dangers posed by unexploded ordnance from the World War I era, particularly in regions of France that saw intense fighting. While such discoveries typically occur during construction or agricultural work, this incident represents an exceptionally unusual circumstance of internal concealment.
Medical professionals have expressed astonishment at both the nature of the object and the circumstances of its introduction. The case raises serious questions about patient safety protocols when dealing with unidentified foreign bodies that may present explosive hazards.
Authorities are now investigating how the patient came into possession of the historical artillery shell and what motivated its unconventional placement. The 24-year-old man remains under medical care while bomb disposal experts have safely removed and secured the dangerous item for proper disposal.
