Explosive experts in the Czech Republic successfully detonated a World War II bomb on Friday at a major chemical plant located in the northwestern part of the country. The bomb was discovered last week at the plant near the city of Litvinov, which is owned by Polish oil company PKN Orlen.
The controlled explosion, which took place away from any buildings, resulted in only a few broken windows, according to a statement released by the police. The decision to detonate the 250-kilogram (550-pound) bomb on-site was made due to its unique chemical mechanism designed to delay detonation, a rare find in the country.
Prior to the explosion, experts took precautions by covering the bomb with hundreds of sandbags. As a safety measure, a nearby road was closed, and tram operations were halted. Additionally, police sealed off an area within a 2-kilometer radius from the site of the explosion.
The chemical plant, situated on the territory that was occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II, was a key facility for producing fuel for Nazi troops. It was a frequent target of bombing raids by Britain's Royal Air Force.
