According to the fire brigade, four people were injured in the explosion of an aerial bomb on a Deutsche Bahn construction site in Munich, one of them seriously. The fire department reports that the bomb exploded in the ground during drilling work for the second main S-Bahn line. All rail traffic around Munich Central Station had to be stopped, said a rail spokesman.
This affected long-distance and local traffic, and the main S-Bahn line was also blocked between Laim and Rosenheimer Platz. After the police operation was over, traffic started up again in the afternoon. However, further problems and delays were to be expected.
The S-Bahn is not yet passable again because some tracks are being examined, said a railway spokesman.
Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) was at the scene of the accident at noon to get an idea of the situation. He now expects a comprehensive explanation. “It must now be determined: Why was this bomb not recognized beforehand?” It is still unclear why the explosive device was not discovered in advance.
Normally, during construction work in Munich city center, it is always carefully and regularly probed where duds could be. Experts from the ordnance disposal service were included in the investigation.
According to the police, there had been a loud bang near the Donnersbergerbrücke, then a column of smoke formed.
“We are in the process of taking care of the people,” said a fire department spokesman on site. At first it was unclear how the explosion came about, the emergency services suspected a deflagration. Then it turned out that an old WWII aerial bomb had detonated, as the police confirmed.
The Donnersbergerbrücke is not far from the main train station in the center of Munich on the main line of the S-Bahn. Numerous fire engines and around 50 emergency services were on site, and a federal police helicopter circled over the area.
Passengers can get on www.bahn.de/aktuell inform as well as on DB Regio Bavaria, You can find information about the S-Bahn here.