Eurostar services between Paris and London were abruptly suspended on Friday following the discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb. The bomb was unearthed by construction workers in the town of Saint Denis, located 2.5 kilometers outside of Paris, near the railway tracks. This unexpected find occurred early in the day, leading to significant travel disruptions at Paris’s Gare du Nord, the world’s third-busiest train station.
The bomb, weighing 500 kilograms and containing 200 kilograms of explosives, prompted immediate safety measures. Technicians from Paris’ demining team quickly arrived at the site to assess the situation. Authorities established a security perimeter around the area, which was later extended to 500 meters as a precautionary measure, as confirmed by the Saint Denis town hall. A spokesperson for France’s national rail company, SNCF, described the bomb as “really huge,” underscoring the potential danger it posed.
Train services to both London and Brussels were affected, leaving several hundred passengers stranded at Gare du Nord in search of information. One traveler expressed concern over potential financial losses due to canceled hotel reservations, stating, “We were supposed to leave for a weekend in London this morning. The worry is that we will lose €800 worth of hotel rooms if we don’t make the reservation, so that’s a bit of a problem.” Others noted the lack of communication regarding updates, with one passenger stating, “There is no information being given on the app, only the Eurostar site that says that we can be reimbursed. Aside from that, no further information.”
The demining operation is expected to be meticulous and time-consuming. According to SNCF, services will not resume until the completion of mine clearance operations. French Transport Minister Philippe Tabaro reassured the public by stating, “There’s no reason to fear,” emphasizing that such discoveries are occasionally managed by demining teams.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges related to unexploded ordnance from past conflicts. Minister Tabaro noted that deminers are periodically required to clear abandoned explosive devices. The disruption caused by this bomb underscores the importance of these safety measures in safeguarding public welfare and ensuring safe travel.
