A French hospital found itself in an unprecedented situation, requiring a dramatic evacuation when a patient presented with a rather explosive predicament: a World War I artillery shell lodged in his rectum. The discovery, made during surgery at the Rangueil Accident and Emergency unit in Toulouse, sent shockwaves through the medical facility and necessitated the immediate involvement of bomb disposal experts. The patient, a 24-year-old man, had apparently sought medical attention after experiencing considerable pain over the weekend.
The specifics surrounding how the man acquired such a formidable item and the circumstances of its insertion remain largely a mystery. Local reports suggest that upon admission, the patient did not immediately disclose the nature of the object causing his distress.… Continue reading
Cologne, Germany underwent its largest post-war evacuation on Wednesday to allow for the defusal of three unexploded WWII American bombs—two 20-ton and one 10-ton—discovered during road construction. Over 20,000 residents were evacuated from a large area encompassing the city center, including major infrastructure like the Hohenzollern Bridge. Experts successfully defused the ordnance within an hour. This incident highlights the ongoing challenge posed by unexploded ordnance from WWII, even decades later.
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It’s quite fascinating, yet terrifying, to think about the impact of World War II even decades after it ended. The recent explosion at Miyazaki airport in Japan, caused by a U.S. bomb likely dating back to the war, serves as a stark reminder of the lingering remnants of past conflicts. The fact that the bomb was able to go undetected for approximately 80 years before randomly detonating is mind-boggling. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries, but it highlights the potential dangers that still exist due to unexploded ordnance scattered across the globe.
The presence of undetonated bombs, such as the ones in Laos and Vietnam, continues to pose a significant threat to civilians.… Continue reading
Matt Underwood 
John Q. Hosedrinker