Police Evacuate Streets in Central London After Unexploded WWII Bomb Is Found

Victor Westerkamp
By Victor Westerkamp
February 4, 2020UK
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Police Evacuate Streets in Central London After Unexploded WWII Bomb Is Found
A Royal Engineer Bomb Disposal truck stands outside the Soho Theatre on Dean Street in the Soho area of central London on February 3, 2020 after parts of the neighbourhood were evacuated after the discovery of an unexploded World War Two bomb (Isabel Infantes/AFP via Getty Images)

A World War II bomb discovered in central London’s Soho area caused some commotion as police evacuated one of the busiest entertainment districts on Monday.

Workers at a construction site at Dean Street discovered the unexploded bomb around 1:42 p.m. and immediately alerted authorities. Experts confirmed the object was an unexploded German-made 550-pound bomb from World War II.

Police cordoned off an area between place between Oxford Street, Charing Cross Road, Shaftesbury Avenue, Lexington Street and Poland Street, according to Soho Police.

According to CNN, thousands of people in the area were told to evacuate the buildings, which included significant venues like the Soho Hotel, the Soho Theatre, and the Groucho Club.

NTD Photo
Members of the public are directed by police officers securing a police cordon put in place in London’s soho area on Feb. 3, 2020. (Isabel Infantes/AFP via Getty Images)

According to a public relations officer, Umika Verma, the bomb was found near the Soho Hotel, across the street from her office. “Police said to our receptionist that everyone has to get out,” she told CNN. “We came out of the office and were told to move. No time limit at all was given—it was just ‘get out of the office’ immediately. Within five minutes, we all had to go.”

The Royal Engineer Bomb Disposal team worked to remove the half-a-century-old bomb. “An Army explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team has been called out to Soho to support the Metropolitan Police after discovery of a 250kg Second World War device,” a Ministry of Defense spokeswoman said, according to the BBC.

About four hours after the discovery, the cordoned area was reduced to Dean Street and the nearby area. By 8:40 p.m., the site was declared safe and the cordon was lifted, said Soho police in a statement.

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Police officers secure a cordon in the Soho area of central London on Feb. 3, 2020. (Isabel Infantes/AFP via Getty Images)

The Army EOD team was to detonate the bomb in a safe location overnight, the spokesperson told the BBC.

But on Tuesday, another part of the same World War II bomb was discovered and roads were closed off again in the Soho area near Dean Street, police said, and people had to be evacuated. Those cordons were lifted about four hours later after the unexploded bomb was removed.

World War II Bombs are found occasionally in London and other European cities. In November 2018, London City Airport had to be evacuated after a 550-pound bomb was found at a construction site.

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