Plymouth bomb: World War II device uncovered at building site to be detonated after mass evacuation

More than 1,000 homes were evacuated after an unexploded Second World War bomb was found at a construction site in Plymouth.

Officials confirmed that the device, identified as a 250 kg German SC250, would be detonated on site.

The discovery on Flamborough Road, Southway, led to a 400-metre cordon and military experts concluded the device could not be moved safely.

“The Royal Navy and Army’s unexploded ordnance experts have now completed a rigorous and detailed assessment of the device,” a council spokesman said.

“They said it was not possible to remove it safely.

“The only safe option is to secure the device in place to include a controlled explosion.

“This is scheduled to take place on Friday, once all safety precautions are fully in place.”

The council said experts were building a “sand reduction structure” to reduce the impact of the explosion.

“You will not be able to see the explosion and people are asked to stay well away from the area,” the spokesman said.

“There is also a no-fly zone; drones are not allowed.”

The 400-metre cordon will remain in place and residents will not be able to return to their homes until the device is secured.

Southway Youth and Community Center has been opened to evacuated residents.

Since opening, more than 50 residents have been helped and 25 households placed in temporary accommodation.

Oakwood Elementary School, Little Acorns Preschool and Beechwood Elementary School will remain closed Friday.

Col. Nick Handy of the 8th Engineer Brigade said the condition of the fuses in the bomb made it impossible to move it safely.

“Unfortunately we cannot get a definitive x-ray of the second fuse and therefore it is not safe to move that part,” Col Handy said.

“We will detonate it on the spot.

“When I say blow it up on site, we will do our best to take the flame of that material and burn it in a structure that will limit the damage to the local environment.

“I’m pretty confident the mitigation measures we’ve put in place will limit most of the damage, but we’ll try to do that at some point on Friday.”

Colonel Handy said that the device contained 130 kg of explosives, which was “80 years old and dangerous”.

“When this thing explodes, for lack of a better phrase, there will be damage,” he said.

“We will limit this as much as possible to ensure no one suffers.

“The mitigation we implement should only affect small amounts of damage at the outer edges of the zone.”

More than 50 Luftwaffe air raids were launched on Plymouth between 1941 and 1944, killing 1,174 civilians in the city.

The first bombs fell on the city on July 6, 1940, and the most intense bombardment period occurred in March and April 1941.

A 500kg German Second World War bomb was found in a garden in the Keyham area of ​​Plymouth two years ago.

It forced thousands of people to evacuate and was instantly detonated