Thousands of residents in a northern Paris suburb were evacuated on Sunday as bomb disposal experts conducted a controlled explosion on a World War Two-era munition discovered last month.
Authorities ordered people living within a 450-meter radius of the device in Colombes to leave their homes by 7:00 AM local time. An initial attempt to remove the bomb's detonator proved unsuccessful, leading officials to destroy it in place with a carefully planned blast.
Local official Alexandre Brugère had warned that the operation would be "risky" and required "a high level of preparation." Nearly 800 police officers were deployed to enforce the evacuation zone, which extended 900 meters from the bomb site. A secondary perimeter stretching one kilometer allowed residents to stay indoors but restricted outdoor activities.
Emergency alerts were sent to locals instructing them to depart immediately. One resident, Alida, told Le Parisien, "The authorities told us to close our windows and shutters when we left the house, but we didn't take anything—we left everything as it was."
Reception centers were established for displaced residents, including support for vulnerable individuals needing medical assistance. The controlled detonation occurred at 3:20 PM, and the evacuation order was lifted shortly after 4:00 PM, with authorities confirming the operation was "carried out successfully."
The bomb was uncovered on April 10 during construction work on Rue des Champarons. Officials secured the site and covered the device with sand while planning its removal.
Undetonated WWII explosives continue to be found across Europe decades after the conflict ended. Urban discoveries, often during construction projects, pose heightened risks due to dense populations. Similar incidents have occurred in recent years in London, including temporary closures of tourist areas and London City Airport. Last year, a 500-kilogram device was found and defused near Paris's Gare du Nord during railway bridge construction.