An explosive device was found during excavation work at the Gelderakkers in Hilvarenbeek on Thursday afternoon. According to a spokesman for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service (EOD), it is a high-explosive grenade from the Second World War. The find means that a daycare center in the area has to be evacuated, among other things. At four o’clock the grenade was defused on the spot, this happened without any problems.
The EOD was alerted by the police around ten to two. Earlier that afternoon, he had received a report that an explosive device had been found. The grenade was found during work, which was stopped immediately afterwards.
After the EOD arrived on the scene, it was decided to clear an area of 100 meters in a radius around the site. This includes a nursery, which is located in the school opposite the site. Parents or guardians of the children have been asked to pick up the children.
The police had informed local residents in a larger area around the site that the grenade would be detonated on the spot at four o’clock. Residents were asked to open windows and doors. The municipality of Hilvarenbeek has cordoned off part of the neighborhood where the explosive was found.
According to an EOD spokesperson, the high-explosive grenade is 15 centimeters in size and the explosive can contain 5 kilograms of explosive. Some of the ignition would still be intact.
