War legacy: Thousands of Kiel residents evacuated for bomb disposal

A 250-kilogram aerial bomb from World War II has forced thousands of people from their homes in Kiel as specialists prepare to make it safe.

The bomb lies about four meters underground in the Dietrichsdorf district. Police have sealed off the restricted area and sent officers through it to check whether more than 5,200 affected residents have left. Emergency crews were also helping people who needed assistance to get to safety.

The operation was delayed because some residents had not yet evacuated. “Please leave the evacuation area. The start of the defusing operation is delayed because some people have not yet left the area,” police wrote on Facebook.

The bomb-disposal service has arrived and attached the unexploded American bomb to a hook before pulling it upward, a police spokeswoman said. Once the designated area is clear, specialists will render the fuse harmless and take the bomb to their facility. The actual defusing was expected to take place within about an hour, provided there were no problems, such as a damaged fuse.

More than 2,500 households are affected by the evacuation. Residents unable to stay elsewhere can use rooms at Andreas-Gayk School, where some people had already sought shelter. The bomb was found by the bomb-disposal service on Insterburger Straße, according to police.

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Please leave the evacuation area. The start of the defusing operation is delayed because some people have not yet left the area.