1,200 Homes Evacuated after Discovery of WWII Bomb

Plymouth, England Police officers and Royal Navy UXO technicians responded after an unexploded WWII bomb was discovered on a building site in Plymouth, forcing the evacuation of approximately 1,200 homes in the area.

The explosive experts worked through the night assessing the 550-lb device, and a 400-meter cordon was established in the area, according to the Plymouth City Council.

The munition was identified as a German SC250 air-dropped weapon. Four hundred tons of sand was provided by the Council to stabilize and secure the device while enhanced Xray equipment was used for a detailed assessment.

Police officers and partner agencies conducted door-to-door visits to provide residents with information and encourage them to leave their homes for their own safety prior to the safe detonation of the ordnance in place.

The council explained, "UXO experts can only make the device safe once the area is fully evacuated. We know this is disruptive and thank residents for their cooperation."

Residents were advised to turn off their water supply and open windows if possible, and to take essentials with them. Schools within the cordon and bus services were also affected.

Once the disposal operations were completed two days later, the cordon was lifted and residents were allowed to return.