Evacuation complete: Demolitionists can begin
Created: 2022-09-26Updated: 2022-09-26 13:07
"Evacuation bus" is on the display of a bus in Berlin-Moabit.
© Annette Riedl/dpa
A World War II bomb has been found in Berlin-Moabit.
The demolition experts are preparing for their mission.
The police expect the bomb to be detonated in a controlled manner in the afternoon.
Berlin - The evacuation of the restricted area around an American World War II bomb in Berlin-Moabit has been completed.
"We're done now.
The area is safe so far," said a spokesman for the Berlin police of the German Press Agency early Monday afternoon.
"Our blasters are now working on the bomb, digging the relief trenches and filling the water cushions so that we can direct the blasting into the ground in a controlled manner." That will take some time.
The bomb was found during construction work on Sickingenstrasse west of Beusselstrasse.
The restricted area, which all residents have to leave, has a radius of 500 meters around the site.
According to the information, around 9,000 people who live or work there are affected.
There are also numerous offices and commercial establishments in the area.
Cushions filled with 60,000 liters of water are to be placed around the 50-kilogram bomb.
In this way, the explosive effect of the bomb can be weakened, said the police spokesman.
The controlled detonation of the World War II bomb is expected in the afternoon.
Because the bomb's detonators were damaged, they could not be removed as usual in order to then transport the bomb away.
In this case, it should be detonated in a controlled manner at the site where it was found.
The bomb was found during construction work on Sickingenstrasse west of Beusselstrasse.
The restricted area, which all residents have to leave, has a radius of 500 meters around the site.
According to the information, around 9,000 people who live or work there are affected.
There are also numerous offices and commercial establishments in the area.
A further complication was that many older people and those with limited mobility had to leave the restricted area.
The German Red Cross (DRK) was responsible for coordinating the patient transport, but other aid organizations such as the Johanniter Unfallhilfe were also involved.
The ambulance transports have been in continuous operation since 8 a.m., said the civil protection officer for the Mitte district, Konstantin Keesmann.
In addition, two shuttle buses were used for people who are not staying with friends or relatives and therefore need alternative accommodation.
The buses started at two collection points, including on Sickingenstrasse, and according to Keesmann, were also in continuous use on Monday morning.
There were also effects on traffic in the capital: the Berlin traffic center announced on Monday morning on Twitter that S-Bahn traffic on the S41 and S42 was stopped from 11 a.m. between the Beusselstraße and Westend stops.
The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) also pointed out on Monday that the three bus lines M27, 106 and 123 were also affected.
According to the information, the M27 will be diverted in both directions between the Rathaus Tiergarten and Goslarer Platz stops.
Lines 106 and 123 could run on their usual routes, but did not stop at the Wittstocker Straße stop.
dpa
