WWII Explosives Emerge in Wildfire-Ravaged French Village
In the village of Le Porge near Bordeaux, southwest France, 400 unexploded shells from World War II have been uncovered. Residents were only able to return to their homes after days of careful demining work. Fire commander Thomas Mimiague believes the loud noises during the fire were caused by these old wartime munitions.
Mayor Martial Zaninetti described the experience as hearing the "sound of war." He confirmed that one of the shells passed entirely through a house during the explosions. The recovered shells are a mix of German and French origin, including primarily mortar shells and high-explosive anti-tank ordnance.
Mimiague noted that the origin of the munitions remains uncertain. He stated, "We think they were just abandoned," when questioned about their presence. Some land in the municipality had wartime ammunition depots, but no one was aware of their existence until the fire revealed them.
The wildfire near Bordeaux burned 99,000 acres in approximately ten days. This fire is the most severe in the region since 1949. Though it caused significant destruction, the flames did not reach any of the major wine estates in the area. More than 180 houses in the area were destroyed.
This situation is not unique to Le Porge. Last year, a World War II-era bomb discovered near tracks at Paris's Gare du Nord station halted train traffic. In 2012, a 1-ton German bomb forced the evacuation of around 1,000 people in Marseille to allow for its removal.