Two members of a bomb-disposal team were killed and six people wounded late Tuesday in the central German city of Goettingen when a World War II bomb exploded ahead of attempts to disarm the weapon.
A security cordon extending 300 metres from the site of explosion was still in place Wednesday morning, as experts attempted to secure the site amid reports of a possible further device.
The exploded bomb had been uncovered at a depth of seven metres as foundation digging for a new sports stadium was being carried out.
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The device exploded before bomb experts had begun work on it, and the cause of the unexpected detonation was not immediately known.
Among the wounded, two people had serious injuries but were not in a life—threatening condition, officials said.
About 7,000 people with a 1,000—metre radius of the bomb site were still being evacuated when the blast occurred, although most have now returned to their homes.
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Goettingen’s train station, which lies a few blocks from the bomb site, was closed for several hours but reopened overnight.
Police and firefighters remain at the scene with an investigation underway.