Unexploded WWII bomb safely detonated

Siti Hajar

 Traffic was diverted to make way for the safe removal of the unexploded bomb. - DEAN KASSIM

 

The unexploded bomb - PIC COURTESY RBAF

 

The scene yesterday on the road along Batu Dua in Jalan Tutong

An unexploded live bomb (see photo below), believed to have been a remnant of the Japanese Occupation during the British Residency between 1941 and 1945, was recently unearthed by workers who were in the process of erecting neon lights along Batu Dua, Jalan Tutong.

The rusted bomb, measuring 16 inches by eight centimetres, was discovered by workers at 3pm on Monday. However, the matter was only reported to the police yesterday morning.

One of the workers who found the explosive said: "We didn't know what it was (at first) … we thought that it was just another piece of metal. This was why we kept it aside."

After the matter was reported to the authorities, personnel from the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) Special Operations Squad (SOS), Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD), as well as the Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Explosive (CBRE) Units, were immediately dispatched to remove the bomb albeit approximately 24 hours after the bomb was unearthed by workers.

As a result of this, traffic was diverted away from the Damuan area heading towards the capital for over half a day, as personnel worked on the safe removal of the bomb.

An RBPF spokesperson revealed that the bomb detonated at 4pm at an undisclosed location within the Brunei-Muara District, and that two blocks of flats located near the site had been evacuated to ensure the safety of residents.

This was not the first time that an unexploded bomb has been discovered by the authorities.