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WWII bomb halts Prescott Lock work
23 Jun 2008
The construction site, local businesses and boaters from nearby residential moorings were evacuated as soon as the bomb was discovered. The River Lee Navigation from Bow Locks to Old Ford Locks was closed for five days, and at various times throughout the week-long period tube services on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, along with C2C train services and flights from London City Airport, were severely disrupted.
A joint emergency service response was mobilised, with the full support of the Metropolitan Police Authority, the Ministry of Defence and Newham Local Authority.
The Army was called in to neutralise the fuse and carry out a controlled explosion to make the device safe and, after a four day operation, the final all-clear was given at 18.46 on Friday 6 June.
‘This is the largest World War II bomb to be discovered in the past three decades,’ said Cmdr O'Brien. ‘It measures approximately the size and length of a man, and weighs around 1000kg.’
Royal Engineers and partner agencies have been incredibly heroic and have worked extremely hard to defuse the bomb, with the minimum disruption to Londoners as possible, he added.
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