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Associated Press

Bomb disposal experts have defused a huge unexploded second world war-era bomb in the German financial capital Frankfurt that forced the evacuation of more than 60,000 residents.
Hospital patients and the elderly were among those affected in what was Germany’s biggest evacuation in recent history.
Construction workers found the 1.8-tonne British bomb Tuesday. Officials ordered residents to evacuate homes within a 1.5-kilometre radius of the site in Germany’s financial capital.

Dozens of ambulances lined up early Sunday to pick up anyone unable to independently leave the danger zone.
The high capacity HC 4000 bomb, also dubbed a “Blockbuster”, was one of thousands dropped over Germany by the Royal Air Force during the final years of the second world war cripple the Nazi war machine and demoralise the German population.

Authorities warned that if the bomb had exploded, the shock wave could have caused widespread damage throughout the western part of the city.
Unexploded bombs are still found regularly across Germany, even 72 years after the war ended. About 20,000 people were evacuated from the western city of Koblenz before specialists disarmed a 500-kilogram US bomb there Saturday.
Additional reporting by Reuters


Huge war-era bomb dubbed ‘Blockbuster’ successfully defused in Frankfurt

Bomb disposal expert Rene Bennert and Dieter Schweizler next to the defused bomb. Photo: Reuters

A general view of the area where a British World War Two bomb was found and defused in Frankfurt, Germany, September 3, 2017. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

A British Lancaster drop a HC4000 bomb over Germany during the second world war

British ‘blockbuster’ bomb from second world war forces massive evacuation of Frankfurt

The sealed off area where a British bomb was found. Photo: EPA

Dog Asta sits in her owner's simmer-frame waiting for an evacuation bus as 60,000 people in Germany's financial capital are about to evacuate the city while experts defuse an unexploded British World War Two bomb found during renovations on the university's campus in Frankfurt, Germany, September 3, 2017. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Ella Wichmann pushes suitcases as she leaves her apartment in the evacuation area as evacuation measures are under way in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on September 3, 2017. More than 60,000 people are set to be evacuated from Frankfurt's Westend district after a British World War II bomb (HC 4000 air mine) was discovered on a construction site close to the Goethe University compound last Tuesday, August 29, 2017. The operation to defuse the bomb is expected to begin at 12.00 am and to take approximately four hours. / AFP PHOTO / Thomas Lohnes

epa06179069 Ambulance cars queue during the evacuation of the 'Citizens hospital' (Buergerhospital) in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, 02 September 2017, as a precaution measure after a 1.4 tonne British World War II bomb, nicknamed 'blockbuster', was found during construction works nearby. The bomb is planned to be defused on 03 September 2017. Around 70.000 people need to be evacuated in advance. EPA/BERND KAMMERER

Police officers control if the residents have left their apartments as evacuation measures are under way in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on September 3, 2017. More than 60,000 people are set to be evacuated from Frankfurt's Westend district after a British World War II bomb (HC 4000 air mine) was discovered on a construction site close to the Goethe University compound last Tuesday, August 29, 2017. The operation to defuse the bomb is expected to begin at 12.00 am and to take approximately four hours. / AFP PHOTO / Thomas Lohnes

Members of a family with young kids pull suitcases as they leave the evacuation area in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on September 3, 2017. More than 60,000 people are set to be evacuated from Frankfurt's Westend district after a British World War II bomb (HC 4000 air mine) was discovered on a construction site close to the Goethe University compound last Tuesday, August 29, 2017. The operation to defuse the bomb is expected to begin at 12.00 am and to take approximately four hours. / AFP PHOTO / Thomas Lohnes

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The compulsory evacuation of 60,000 people was Germany’s biggest such manoeuvre since the second world war


Huge war-era bomb dubbed ‘Blockbuster’ successfully defused in Frankfurt

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The compulsory evacuation of 60,000 people was Germany’s biggest such manoeuvre since the second world war

The compulsory evacuation of 60,000 people was Germany’s biggest such manoeuvre since the second world war