During routine investigations at the connekt technology park on the land of the former harvey barracks, two american explosive bombs from the second world war were found on monday . The operator of the airfield then informed the relevant authorities and the explosive ordnance disposal service. This jerked on tuesday, around 10 o’clock to defuse the 45 kilograms each explosive bodies.
Evacuation
From 12 o’clock on, the employees of neighboring companies were evacuated within a radius of about 350 meters. According to the police, about 400 people had to leave the buildings near the site. "But the companies had already been informed yesterday," said jurgen wilhelm from the company operating the technology park. Thus, many employees could have been informed in time. Some roads in the technology park also had to be closed off.
Not affected
Public streets, on the other hand, were not affected, it is said by the police. This was not necessary, as the bombs were found in the nature reserve around the airfield, near the old tower. This is located outside the development plan of the connekt and is far enough away from all public roads.
Defusing begins
Shortly before 1 p.M., the defusing began, which was carried out by christian scheibinger and michael weib of the nurnberg demolition squad. A short time later, the tinder of the first bomb was removed. Around 13.45 o’clock the all-clear was given: the second bomb had also been defused. The police lifted the blockade of the area around the fund office and the employees were able to return to the companies.
Normal run
"Everything went normally, without any complications," said christian scheibinger after the operation. "It would have been worse if the bombs had been found closer to the buildings," his colleague michael weib added.
Removal
After the defusing, the men from the demolition squad had to transport the defused bombs away from the site. It was the car they used to take the bombs to temporary storage. "Eventually they will be dismantled," scheibinger explained. It was not the first time that the demolition squad was in kitzingen. On the way from the former US barracks to the technology park, bombs were found and defused several times.
Connekt technology park
History: the land on the road from kitzingen to groblangheim has been used as a military area and airfield since 1918. During the second world war, the airfield was the target of air raids by allied forces. The consequences are still bombshells today. After 1945, the former airfield barracks became the harvey barracks. They were used as an airfield, but also as a site for armored and supply units of the U.S. Army. With the withdrawal of the americans in 2006 ended the military history of the land.
Connekt technologiepark: it took a few years after the move until the project developer, blumquadrat gmbh, took over the land in may 2013. This was followed by the development with trenches, water, electricity and broadband, as well as marketing. A special emphasis on the removal of the contaminated sites and the search for and removal of the bombs. The site: the former harvey barracks covers a total of 200 hectares, around 73 hectares are commercial and industrial space, over 100 buildings and plots of land with a rough area of between 1000 and 50,000 square meters. The rest is the airfield, which has been in operation again since the middle of the year under the direction of the air sports club, and particularly protected FFH areas (flora-fauna-habitat).
Business settlements: the company terex was the first user in connekt in october 2013. In the meantime, there are about 400 jobs on the land. With the schaeffler distribution center nearing completion, 200 more are to be added to the total.