A World War II bomb discovered in a seaside Norfolk town has detonated in an explosion police stress was ‘not planned’.
Hundreds of people had to be evacuated from homes and properties in Great Yarmouth after the military device was unearthed on Tuesday morning.
But days-long efforts to defuse the device using specialist robots didn’t quite go to plan.
As the final phase of what Norfolk Police called the ‘delicate operation to disarm’ the bomb took place, it went off, sending debris and smoke flying up in the air at around 5pm today.
The force said: ‘The device exploded during slow burn out work to disarm the remaining explosives.
‘All army and emergency service personnel have been accounted for and damage is currently being assessed.
‘At this time there has been no reports of any physical injuries or casualties into any of the three emergency services call centres or attendees at the local A&E department.’
Norfolk Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable Nick Davison added: ‘The device detonated shortly after work had started to disarm the device.
‘The approach had been the safest option to disarm the device, however, it always carried a risk of unintended detonation.
‘Thankfully, all personnel have been accounted for and agencies are coming together to assess damage to the river wall.’
Locals outside the 200-metre cordon – and some living in villages nearby, such as Hopton eight miles away – said they could hear the blast as it shook their homes.
Emma Burton, 39, lives around 400 metres away from the site and said she was watching TV when the bomb detonated.
‘Items fell off a shelf in my porch and as I opened the door I heard what sounded like gravel falling from the sky,’ she told Metro.co.uk.
‘Car alarms were going off all down my road and I saw smoke raising up. We knew there was a possibility of the bomb going off today but it did shock me how loud it was.’
Local resident Tom Davison tweeted: ‘I work across the quay near Kings Street and whole building rattled, was surreal.’
The bomb – which was about three feet long and weighed about 250kg – was discovered by a contractor on Southtown Road by the River Yare.
Dredging work for a third river bridge crossing was taking place at Bollard Quay when the device was found.
Police taped off the area within hours, with the 200-metre inner cordon stretching across 230 properties around Bollard Quay.
While those in the 200-400-metre outer cordon were ‘strongly advised’ by police to go elsewhere, according to the evacuation notice seen by Metro.co.uk.
People were ‘asked not to return to their homes until they are told it is safe to do so,’ the notice said as police pointed to two rest centres built nearby.
Burton was among those handed a notice. But as someone who works from home, she decided to wait it out as any ‘damage would’ve been minimal’.
‘I can’t imagine how terrifying it would be in a war with bombs falling daily,’ she said. ‘This bomb had a 400-tonne sand barrier surrounding it to reduce the damage.
‘Even with the barrier it was very loud and there must be damage to the properties near the explosion.’
Army specialists had a few ways to disarm the bomb. After originally planning to cut it, they instead moved to slowly burn off the decades-old explosive material.
The Army’s Explosive Ordnance Device (EOD) team said earlier this week that, if the bomb were to explode, it could affect two gas main pipes.
But the gas distribution network Cadent tweeted today: ‘Our team has carried out a close inspection of our gas pipes in the vicinity.
‘There is no indication the blast has caused damage to our assets – gas continues to flow safely.’
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