A huge World War II bomb was destroyed today near Paris in a controlled underground explosion after more than a thousand people were evacuated within a 450-meter radius.
An attempt was initially made to manually deactivate the bomb which had been discovered in the commune of Colomb during construction work. The bomb was 1.06 metres long without its tail fin and 33 centimetres in diameter.
This delicate operation was “unfortunately impossible”, according to Paris police headquarters, and bomb disposal experts had to bury it before it exploded.
The firm’s images showed the heavy, rusty metal relic lying at the bottom of a sandy pit, firmly secured by thick, rough wooden beams embedded in front of concrete walls. Extensive capping work was then required to dampen the explosion.
A muffled noise followed by a sharp echo permeated the streets of this community located west of Paris, whose residents had been evacuated while a drone flew overhead to inspect the crater and make sure the area was completely safe.
Almost 800 police officers kept order in this densely populated area of the Paris suburbs, which was being monitored by aerial surveillance to prevent any break-ins.
The defusing of such a bomb in a dense urban environment was reminiscent of the situation at the Gare du Nord train station in Paris in March 2025 , when everything around was paralysed after the discovery of a 500 kg bomb, which necessitated the evacuation of schools and residents under the supervision of 300 police officers.
