The explosion of a World War II-era bomb rattled a construction site near a train station in Munich, Germany, early Wednesday, German authorities said according to The Associated Press (AP).
The 250-kilogram (550-pound) bomb was discovered during drilling work, the German news agency DPA reported, according to the AP.
A World War II bomb exploded at a construction site next to a busy railway line in Munich, injuring four people, one of them seriously, German police said. https://t.co/RhcHUznhKx
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 1, 2021
The bomb’s unintentional detonation left four injured, and the Munich fire brigade confirmed that one victim suffered serious injuries, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
The outlet added that Germany’s Deutsche Bahn rail operator temporarily suspended operations as a precaution following the incident.
Police assured commuters that there is “no danger outside the immediate area,” according to CNN.
Approximately 2,000 tons of undetonated bombs from World War II are still in Germany each year and construction sites are typically scanned for potential explosives prior to drilling, CNN reported. (RELATED: Hundreds Evacuated In Poland While Largest Unexploded World War II Bomb Is Defused).
Joachim Herrmann, Bavaria’s state interior minister, said authorities must focus on finding out why the explosive was not found earlier, the AP reported.
Official estimates claim that approximately 15% of explosives from World War II did not detonate and some could still be hidden as deeply as 20 feet underground, CNN reported.
Emergency services exited the scene and railway operations resumed by Wednesday afternoon, the outlet added.