A US World War II aerial bomb was successfully defused today (Sept. 20) at 11:48 a.m. in Quarry Bay's Pan Hoi Street area. The bomb, discovered at a construction site yesterday (Sept. 19) around noon, prompted the evacuation of nearby residents. At a press briefing held at 1:30 p.m., police confirmed that the site is now safe.
The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau (EOD) began the defusal procedure at 2 a.m. today. The operation was carried out in three stages: first, cutting a one-foot-long hole into the bomb to access the explosives, a process that took four hours—longer than anticipated due to adverse weather conditions, which delayed the setup of tools. Once the hole was created, protective measures were implemented, and the explosives were burned off completely. By 11:48 a.m., the entire 500 pounds of explosives had been neutralized.
Police emphasized that the explosives were still highly volatile and retained nearly the same destructive force as when they were originally dropped during World War II. The bomb was located in a densely populated residential area, and any accidental detonation could have caused severe damage to nearby buildings and endangered lives. To ensure safety, extensive protective measures, such as sandbag barriers, were put in place.
(Video source: Hong Kong Police)
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