Subway, bus and tram lines interrupted
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Bomb disposal paralyzes Gesundbrunnen – police find people in the restricted area
A World War II bomb was found during construction work on the site of the Jewish Hospital in Berlin – it is now to be defused. From 11 a.m., underground, tram and bus lines will also be interrupted in Gesundbrunnen.
In Berlin-Gesundbrunnen, an aircraft bomb from the Second World War will be defused on Sunday. The 250-kilogram dud was found in November during construction work on the grounds of the Jewish hospital.
The 15,000 affected residents had to leave their homes by 6 a.m. Early on Sunday morning, 400 police officers began to control the evacuation and to ask the remaining residents to leave. Again and again the police found people in the restricted area who had not yet left their homes.
How long the controls will last is difficult to predict, the emergency services ring the doorbell at every apartment, and the residents are asked via a loudspeaker truck to leave the restricted area. According to the police, the defusing will probably only start at noon or even in the afternoon.
Lines U8 and U9 interrupted from 11 a.m.
When the Berlin ordnance disposal service is deployed, the two detonators of the American World War II bomb are to be rendered harmless on site. How long this will take exactly is difficult to estimate, it was said in advance. The blocking circle should be lifted again by midnight at the latest.
During the closure measures, there will also be severe restrictions on traffic, especially on Reinickendorfer and Osloer Strasse. According to the BVG, there will be no more subways and trams in this area from 11 a.m. Before that, the public transport vehicles pass without having to go to the stops. The U8 underground lines between Gesundbrunnen and Paracelsus-Bad, the U9 line between Leopoldplatz and Osloer Straße and several tram and bus lines are affected by the closure [bvg.de].
Shuttle buses bring evacuees to accommodation
The patients from the Jewish hospital are being moved because of the evacuations, the clinic said. You and all employees must have left the hospital by Saturday evening. If possible, patients are discharged from the hospital over the weekend.
Parts of the DRK clinics in Berlin-Mitte and the Evangelical Geriatric Center are also in the restricted area. Patients affected by the evacuation are to be relocated within the facilities, both houses announced.
The restricted circle extends north to Residenzstrasse / Reginhardstrasse, east to Osloer Strasse / Drontheimer Strasse, south to Reinickendorfer Strasse / Nauener Platz and west to Seestrasse / Groninger Strasse.
Those who could not find accommodation with friends or relatives were asked to go to one of the alternative quarters. The following addresses serve as collection points until 11:30 a.m. on Sunday: Osloer Strasse 36-37, Reinickendorfer Strasse opposite 71-73, Seestrasse 80. Shuttle buses then take those affected to the accommodations. Incidentally, no pets are allowed there, emphasizes the district office in Mitte. Citizens are asked to inform neighbors, especially if they are hearing or visually impaired or if there are language barriers.
Special accommodations for people infected with corona
There will be separate accommodation options for people who have tested positive for the coronavirus or who are in quarantine. Information is available over the phone: 030 9018 46 660 (Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.).
Vehicle owners are advised to park their cars, motorcycles and scooters outside the affected area, advise the affected districts of Mitte and Reinickendorf. During the closure measures, severe restrictions are to be expected, especially on the B96 (Reinickendorfer Straße) and Osloer Straße traffic axes, the message continues. Local public transport (subway, tram) will be discontinued during use in the area.
All information is also summarized on the Website of the district office in Mitte [berlin.de/ba-mitte].
Broadcast: evening show, December 10th, 2021, 7:30 p.m.