Unexploded bomb in Göttingen: evacuation canceled due to defective drill!

Unexploded bomb in Göttingen: evacuation canceled due to defective drill!

There is currently great excitement in Göttingen due to a new suspected bomb. The city administration prematurely canceled today's investigations at the second suspected point on Königsallee. A defective drill caused this unpleasant turn of events, as Göttinger Tageblatt reports. The evacuation of affected residents was completed around midday after seven of the planned drillings could not be carried out.

Resident Wojtek Bolimowski, who was staying with friends during the evacuation, is particularly affected. His garden has been examined since Monday for possible unexploded bombs. To ensure everything was proceeding properly, workers drilled numerous holes in the ground. Although the search should have been completed this week, the drill's failure has slowed progress. Bolimowski even fears that residents will have to be evacuated again at the beginning of next week if it turns out that there is actually an unexploded bomb in the ground.

Impressions from the western city

The current explorations are taking place in the context of a larger problem: in Göttingen, several dozen unexploded bombs from the Second World War could be hidden in the ground. According to estimates, around 80 unexploded bombs are still undiscovered in the city and must be secured within a radius of 50 meters from the suspected points. People must therefore leave their apartments and houses until further notice to ensure their safety, explains NDR.

The airspace evaluations show that there is an increased risk of unexploded bombs especially here, around the Godehard roundabout. As of June 30, several suspected locations, including three in private gardens, were investigated. This involves digging to a depth of up to five meters to identify possible dangers. There are a variety of ignition mechanisms found that can be considered potentially life-threatening. An incident in 2010, in which three people died while defusing an unexploded bomb, made the city administration act particularly cautiously.

Future actions

The city of Göttingen plans to continue the interrupted drilling at the second suspected point “as quickly as possible”. In addition, an investigation will begin on Monday, July 14th at the third suspected point near the Godehard roundabout, where a powerful drilling rig can be used. This will not be affected by the defect in the small device, which is designed for use in low garden sheds.

Experts in the field of explosive ordnance disposal are available to assist residents to provide security and clarity. In Germany, it is estimated that there are between 100,000 and 300,000 tons of unexploded bombs in the ground, with around 5,000 of them having to be cleared every year, according to ARD Alpha. But the danger remains: unexploded bombs can be found unnoticed during construction work or by farmers. It is therefore important to inform the police immediately if you suspect anything and take appropriate security measures.

The pressure on the city is great, but the safety of citizens is the top priority. The coming days will show what happens next and whether new evacuations are necessary. Until then, the situation remains tense.