Czech explosives experts on Friday detonated a World War II-era bomb at a major chemical plant in the northwestern Czech Republic that was discovered at the plant last week, Czech authorities said.
The controlled explosion did not appear to have caused any immediate serious damage beyond breaking some windows, police said in a statement. The oil facility near the city of Litvinov is owned by Polish oil company PKN Orlen.
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The bomb was discovered last week, Aug. 21, away from the building during construction work. Experts decided not to transport the 250-kilogram (550-pound) bomb to a safe location for disposal because it contained a chemical reactor to delay its explosion, a rare find in the country.
This photo released by Czech Republic police on Friday shows a World War II bomb discovered last week at a large chemical plant near the city of Litvinov in the northwestern Czech Republic. Czech explosives experts detonated the bomb at the site where it was found. (Policy CR via AP)
Hundreds of sandbags were used to cover the bomb before it exploded. Nearby roads were closed and tram services were halted before the explosion at around noon (10am GMT). Police cordoned off an area up to 2km (more than a mile) from the blast site.
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The refinery, located in Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia during the war, produced fuel for the Nazi army and was a frequent target for attack by the Royal Air Force.
