Major operation in Gräfelfing: grenade discovered in the river!

Major operation in Gräfelfing: grenade discovered in the river!

An unusual incident on Sunday afternoon in Gräfelfing, west of Munich, caused a large-scale operation by the police, fire brigade and the explosive ordnance disposal service. Around 60 emergency services were on duty for around four hours after a passer-by discovered a suspicious object in the Würm and mistakenly thought it was a bomb. This alarm led to a comprehensive evacuation and securing of the area.

On Saturday, two boys aged eight and 14 found a grenade from the First World War on the river. This happened privately and not as part of the Würmtal duck race that was taking place at the same time. The police in Planegg made it clear that the children were not involved in the event and that the location of the grenade was not in the finish area of ​​the race. The organizer, the “Miteinander” association, denied any responsibility for the incident.

Clearance measures and security

The emergency services reacted quickly: an area with a radius of 50 meters was cordoned off and the airspace in the area where the discovery was made was also closed. The Gräfelfing fire department cooled the suspicious object to minimize possible dangers. The explosive ordnance disposal service took over the inspection and transport of the find, with the police ultimately confirming that it was a grenade. The exact process of how the grenade got to where it was found remains unclear.

Role of the explosive ordnance disposal service

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service (KRD) is responsible for civil explosive ordnance disposal in Germany and takes care of contaminated sites of ammunition produced before 1945 as well as other dangerous materials. The operational tasks include the disposal of unexploded ordnance and the defusing of ammunition. These professionals, who are often trained ammunition specialists or fireworks specialists, play an important role in ensuring security in affected areas, as was also required in Gräfelfing in order to exclude any potential danger to the population. The specific responsibilities and cost regulations vary depending on the federal state, but the hierarchy remains clear: in such cases, the police authorities are always involved.

Overall, this incident shows once again how important quick and coordinated action is in such situations. The emergency services have mastered their task in Gräfelfing in an exemplary manner, which leaves a reassuring impression.

For more information about what happened in Gräfelfing, read the reports from BR and South Germans. For more in-depth information about the role of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service, see Wikipedia over.