Unexploded WWII Bomb Prompts Evacuation

Construction workers find a leftover from the war
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 3, 2020 4:45 PM CST
Unexploded WWII Bomb Prompts Evacuation
A firefighter and police officer stand in a blocked street Monday in the Soho area of London after an unexploded World War II bomb was dug up at a construction site.   (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate an area of central London after construction workers found an unexploded bomb left from World War II. The discovery was made Monday afternoon in the Soho district, which includes offices as well as restaurants, bars and other businesses. Streets in the area were closed off by police, CNN reports. "We came out of the office and were told to move," one woman said. "No time limit at all was given—it was just 'get out of the office' immediately. Within five minutes we all had to go." Two hours later, police expanded the evacuation zone. The shows were still scheduled to go on Monday night at nearby theaters, per the BBC, including Mary Poppins and Les Miserables.

Undetonated bombs from World War II regularly are found in Germany, but it's slightly less common in England. The British government said in 2018 that it handled about 60 each year since 2010, per the BBC. Often, they're unearthed during construction. (An unexploded German bomb was found at the Kremlin last summer.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X