On Sunday, August 24, an evacuation area with a radius of 1,000 meters and road closures will be set up from 11 a.m. due to the defusing of an unexploded bomb.

It is a confirmed suspicion of an undetonated American 500 pound bomb from the Second World War on the grounds of Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH.

Aerial photo evaluations from the war years and special drillings to analyze the subsoil as well as an already uncovered part of a bomb underpin the suspicion.

Group press spokesman Olaf Reinecke explains the location of the unexploded bomb and the necessary measures on site: "How quickly this World War II bomb can be defused by the Lower Saxony Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service depends on whether the detonator can be removed. The unexploded bomb must first be uncovered. If the detonation mechanism cannot be safely removed, the explosive ordnance must be detonated on site. For this purpose, protective container walls are set up before defusing so that blasting can be carried out quickly if the detonator cannot be removed."

In order to protect people as much as possible, an evacuation zone will be set up in a radius of 1,000 meters around the site from 11 a.m. on Sunday, 24 August. From 11 a.m., it will no longer be permitted to remain in the evacuation area outside the factory premises. The city of Salzgitter has issued a general decree to this effect (see "Further information"). There are no residential buildings in this area, but there are several companies.

This will also result in road closures in the Eisenhüttenstraße area and parts of Hüttenstraße in Watenstedt from 11 am. Parts of Drütte airfield are also still in the evacuation area and may not be entered on this day from 11 am.

Rail services between Braunschweig and Salzgitter-Lebenstedt will also be suspended for the duration of the defusing operation from 11 am.

The city of Salzgitter will provide information on the progress of the unexploded ordnance disposal on Sunday, August 24, from 11:30 a.m. with a live ticker here on this page.

You can find further information in the FAQs below.