For years, the printing works operated without knowing that only a few metres below its workshop lay a bomb. An explosive device from the Second World War was recently found in Saint-Nazaire during work at a construction site, the Loire-Atlantique prefecture said in a statement dated July 3.
"?Enterré deep in the basement of a former printing shop on the corner of Jean-Mermoz and Joachim-du-Bellay, the explosive device dates from World War II and weighs nearly 500 kg?" says the Prefecture.
The former printing works in question is the La Clonerie printing works, which merged in 2016 with two local companies, Imprimerie nazairienne and AGP Graphic. The three companies were taken over by the LCA communication group to create Visuel Original.
The building of the former printing works was destroyed earlier this year to make way for the construction of some 60 housing units in three buildings, which should be completed by the end of 2022.
Demining operation
The bomb will be neutralized on site this Wednesday, July 8, during a demining operation before being taken to a dedicated site for destruction. In order to ensure the safe conduct of the operations, an area within a radius of 400 meters around the site will be completely evacuated, the Prefecture said.
The discovery of bombs dating from the Second World War is still common in Western Europe and of course on the west coast, particularly in Brittany and Normandy. But it is in Germany that they are the most numerous, where according to some experts there could still be 250?000 scattered.
