Wroclaw was evacuated after an unexploded 250-kilogram bomb from World War II was found in the city center

During construction work on the central Staszic Square in Wroclaw, a massive bomb was unearthed that had remained untouched since World War II. The authorities ordered to evacuate until the sappers secure the area.

Thousands of residents of Poland’s main southeastern city were evacuated from its central part on Friday after construction workers stumbled upon an unexploded World War II quarter-ton bomb.

The Polish Armed Forces confirmed that it was a German SC-250.

Buses were arranged to take the evacuated residents to a safe area while bomb disposal specialists were on site. According to Polish media, train traffic also had to be stopped until the bomb was removed.

The police issued a public call for an evacuation, citing “threat to the health and life of people caused by unexploded ordnance”. Police spokeswoman Alexandra Freus told TVN24 that not all residents have agreed to leave their homes and that the authorities cannot force them to do so.

Buses will be on standby for those who choose to leave the area later in the day.

Local Polish media reports that the sappers are in a difficult position due to the size of the bomb and its special position, which requires more excavations to gain access to parts found underground.

They also report that even if the bomb is likely inactive or dead, it carries a large payload, meaning it could still do significant damage if it exploded.

During World War II, Wroclaw was a German city and was known as Breslau. It saw heavy fighting and widespread destruction, being heavily bombed by the Soviets until the German surrender.

The city became part of Poland when the borders were changed after the war and the defeated Germany was forced to give up the territory.

As recently as May 21, a smaller, unexploded bomb was discovered near the railway station in PoznaƄ.