A Second World War-era Soviet bomb discovered at a construction site in Budapest’s 18th district will be defused in place on Sunday, 18 October, prompting the evacuation and closure of an area within a radius of approximately 200 metres.
Soviet bomb from the Second World War has been found
The FAB-100 demolition bomb was found at Üllői út 404 during construction work. According to the Hungarian Defence Forces’ bomb disposal service, police reported the suspected explosive device on 8 October. Bomb disposal experts who attended the site identified it as a Soviet FAB-100 bomb dating from the Second World War. Its current condition means it cannot be transported safely, making on-site neutralisation necessary.
The size and condition of the device, together with the amount of explosive it contains and its potential destructive force, mean that the surrounding area must be cleared before work can begin. Other explosive devices have previously been discovered at the same site, the bomb disposal service said. Those devices were safely removed by specialists for subsequent destruction.
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Roads, homes and public transport affected
Police will begin closing and evacuating the area at 8.30 AM on Sunday, 18 October, while military bomb disposal experts carry out the operation. The restrictions will affect pedestrians, road traffic and public transport. The exclusion zone will cover properties and streets around the discovery site, including the area between the market at 2–10 Balassa Bálint Street and Haladás Street. Residential buildings at 4–6 Szent Lőrinc Promenade, as well as a beauty salon at the rear of the building, will also be affected.
The restrictions will additionally cover the detached house at 424 Üllői Road and properties on the odd-numbered side of the road, from number 497 to the junction with Városház Street. The junction of Üllői Road and Vasvári Pál Street will also be affected, along with the intersection of Üllői Road, Városház Street and Thököly Road.
The operation has been scheduled for Sunday morning to allow the authorities to coordinate the necessary safety measures and give residents sufficient advance notice. Residents and travellers in the area should expect disruption from 8.30 AM while the exclusion zone remains in force. The supplied information does not specify when the restrictions are expected to end.
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Many years ago, while living in Budapest on Mester Utca in 9th district, I went down from my flat to the street and discovered that there was no traffic. Looking down to the interesection with Ferenc Körut, I saw police tape. I asked a fellow resident what was the problme, and she said “Bomba”. It turned out that south of there, during morning construction, they had uncovered what they feared was an unexploded 1 ton British bomb. The Allies had been targeting the nearby rail bridge across the Danube. But the ensuing evaction was more extensive than in this situation. They estimated that if it accidentally detonated during extraction, it might cause a minor earthquake that could damage the 100 year old buildings nearby. A decsion was made to evacuate over 9,000 people in advance of the work. Medics went through every building to ensure that anyone who was unable to walk would be evacuated. The district mayor’s office set up a meeting place with refreshments. All in all, it was very well organized. They set about to deactivate the bomb later in the day once they determined that everyone had been evacuated. It turns out that it was a 500 kg German bomb that been buried as they fled from the advancing Russian forces at the end of WWII.