Czech explosive experts successfully detonated a World War II bomb at a major chemical plant in northwestern Czech Republic, avoiding major damage, Fox News reports.
The bomb, weighing in at 550 pounds, was discovered during construction work at the plant, which belongs to Polish oil company PKN Orlen, on August 21.
Experts decided against transporting the bomb to a safer location for disposal due to a rare chemical mechanism designed to delay the explosion. They instead covered the bomb with hundreds of sandbags before the controlled detonation.
A nearby road was closed and tram operations were halted as a precaution ahead of the explosion, which took place at approximately noon local time (1000 GMT). Police sealed off an area extending a mile from the blast site.
While some broken windows were reported, the controlled explosion did not cause any significant damage to the plant.
The refinery, located in Czechoslovakian territory occupied by Nazi Germany during the war, was a vital producer of fuel for Nazi troops. It was repeatedly targeted by the British Royal Air Force during the conflict.
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