Unexploded WWII phosphorus bomb ignites in New Taipei City
Hot weather is suspected to have caused a piece of unexploded World War Two ordnance to begin emitting smoke in a residential backyard in Danshui District, New Taipei City yesterday, July 16.
At around 5:00pm, the 56-year-old owner of the house called 119 after finding a bomb embedded beside a path on a slope behind the house emitting a pall of white smoke.
Firefighters evacuated nearby residents and cordoned off an area to a radius of 90 meters around the 90-centimeter-long shell.
A military bomb disposal team identified the object as an American white phosphorus bomb, probably dropped during an air-raid during the Second World War. When exposed to air, the phosphorus can ignite at a temperature of between 20 and 30 °C. Ignited white phosphorus cannot be extinguished with water and burns up to 1,300°C, causing severe burns.
It is suspected that the bomb may have become exposed after recent heavy rains.
The bomb disposal squad took the ordnance away at around 9:00pm.
Related Video
Sources: SETN, United Daily News.
Taiwan English News is an independent publication with no corporate funding. If you found this article informative, and would like to support my work, please buy me a coffee or support me on Patreon. Subscribe to Taiwan English News for free to receive the latest news via email. Advertising queries are welcome. Share, like, comment below.