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🇫🇷 France /Disasters & Emergencies

'White and irritating smoke': Heat triggers WWII grenade in Vosges

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A World War II-era phosphorus grenade, submerged in a pond, was exposed due to drought and subsequently ignited by heat in the Vosges, France.
  • Firefighters responded to a report of a cylindrical object emitting white, irritating smoke and small flames.
  • Bomb disposal experts safely destroyed the grenade, and no injuries or incidents were reported.

A World War II-era phosphorus grenade, submerged in a pond in Ramonchamp, Vosges, France, was exposed by successive summer heatwaves and subsequently ignited. The incident occurred after the pond's water level dropped significantly due to the drought, revealing the grenade.

white and irritating smoke

— gendarmerieDescription of the object discovered in the pond.

Firefighters were alerted on Tuesday afternoon to a "cylindrical metallic object" emitting "white and irritating smoke." Upon arrival, they observed "small flames" emanating from the object, which authorities believe was "primed by the heat."

small flames

— gendarmerieObservation made by firefighters upon arrival at the scene.

The device has been identified as a type M15 phosphorus grenade. A security perimeter was immediately established, and bomb disposal experts were called to the scene. They successfully destroyed the grenade in a local quarry.

The heat would have primed the shell.

— gendarmerieThe authorities' hypothesis on how the grenade was activated.

Authorities confirmed that there were no injuries or incidents related to the discovery. This event is one of three interventions in the Vosges region between August 10 and 13 concerning military ordnance found emerging from bodies of water due to the ongoing heatwave and drying of rivers, lakes, and ponds. The gendarmerie reminded the public to avoid touching such objects and to report them immediately to local authorities.

do not touch the object

— gendarmerieSafety advice given by the gendarmerie for discoveries of this type.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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