WWII UXO Bomb Call Prompts Massive Evacuation

Cologne, Germany Nearly 20,000 residents were evacuated from their homes and businesses in preparation for a Render Safe Procedure (RSP) conducted on a U.S. WWII era bomb. The bomb was reportedly discovered along the riverbank of the Rhine River approximately 15 feet underground during excavations for a pipeline.

The bomb was discovered on May 22 but it took almost a week to schedule the RSP operation due to the time required to plan the massive evacuation effort which involved the temporary closing of a zoo, retirement home, school, and hundreds of other businesses.

The RSP was successfully conducted by the war materiel disposal service. After the RSP was complete, the bomb was safely relocated off-site for proper disposal.