The 500-kilogram World War II bomb in Kassel was detonated in a controlled manner in the evening. Residents were able to return to their houses and apartments.
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00:50 Min.
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11.08.23
|hessenschau.de
World War II bomb successfully detonated in Kassel
A World War II bomb weighing 500 kilograms was detonated in a controlled manner on Friday evening in the Rothenditmold district of Kassel. This was confirmed by the city of Kassel. The bang at around 7:35 p.m. was significantly quieter than expected – the bomb’s insulation with sand worked.
“I’m happy and relieved that according to initial findings, no one was harmed during the operation,” said Mayor Sven Schoeller (Greens).
The city also announced that the barriers around the site were lifted: the approximately 7,500 residents affected can go back to their homes. The blast on the site of the Mercedes-Benz plant came much later than the authorities initially planned. “Even if it was a long day for many, the people mostly behaved in an exemplary manner,” said Mayor Schoeller.
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Video 04:26 mins | 08/11/23, 7:30 p.m. | Hessenschau
Air bomb in Kassel blown up in a controlled manner
Delayed evacuation
The evacuation in the affected area in Kassel was completed shortly after 2 p.m. after delays. Some people did not want to leave their homes, said Thomas Schmidt, head of the crisis team. There were a total of 20 police operations to get people who refused to evacuate out of the zone.
A helicopter had flown over the area to ensure all residents had evacuated their homes. A restricted zone had been set up within a radius of 1,000 meters around the site.
Bomb covered with 750 tons of sand
The 500-kilogram World War II bomb was discovered in a pit in Kassel-Rothenditmold on Thursday. Because one of the bomb’s two detonators was damaged, the city said it could not be easily defused. The dud was therefore covered with 750 tons of sand and blown up.
According to the city of Kassel, more than 600 emergency services were involved in the large-scale operation – including firefighters, forces from the Technical Relief Agency, the German Red Cross and the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund.
Massive restrictions in local and long-distance traffic
In the long-distance traffic of Deutsche Bahn, there were significant impairments. Long-distance trains were temporarily unable to stop in Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe and were diverted. At 8:45 p.m., the long-distance routes were released again, according to a railway spokeswoman.
According to Deutsche Bahn, the ICE/IC trains between Frankfurt, Würzburg and Göttingen and the IC between Hamm (Westphalia) and Erfurt were affected. Passengers had to expect longer travel times because the trains were using the detour routes.
According to the city of Kassel, bus and train traffic around Rothenberg, Wiener Strasse and Wolfhager Strasse was stopped during the closure.
established care centers
The restricted area included the Mercedes-Benz factory, the Marien Hospital, schools, a day-care center, an allotment garden and Deutsche Bahn tracks. The police had asked on Friday morning with loudspeaker announcements to leave the affected area.
Operations planned for Friday had been canceled in the Marien Hospital. The operating theaters were needed to accommodate the intensive care patients.
There were four care centers for people who could not stay with relatives, friends or elsewhere during the evacuation. The city announced on Friday evening that around 400 people had gathered there.
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