Bomb was discovered during construction works at Changi Airport Terminal 5 site
A large World War II (WWII)-era bomb was safely detonated by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) after it was found at a worksite near Changi Airport.
The controlled disposal took place in the early hours of Thursday (2 April) morning, said the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) in a news release on the same day.
Source: MINDEF
Bomb discovered at Changi Airport Terminal 5 site
The war relic was first discovered on Tuesday (31 March) during construction works along Tanah Merah Coast Road, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF).
According to a map provided by SPF, the site is between Changi Airport Runway 2 and 3.
Source: Singapore Police Force
This puts it near the site of the future Changi Airport Terminal 5, going by Changi Airport Group’s (CAG’s) map of the upcoming Changi East development.
Bomb assessed to be unsafe to move
The war relic was assessed to be an unexploded WWII aerial bomb weighing 250kg, said MINDEF.
In a Facebook post, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said it was “one of the largest ever” bombs discovered in Singapore.
SAF’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives Defence Group (CBRE DG) also determined that it would be unsafe to move it.
Thus, it was decided that disposal of the bomb would be conducted on-site between 2.30am and 4.3am on 2 April.
As it would be contained within the construction site, areas accessible to the public will not be affected, SPF said.
Protective works constructed around the bomb
To prepare for the detonation, protective works were constructed, comprising an overhead cover of compacted sandbags and reinforced concrete barriers around the bomb.
Source: Chan Chun Sing on Facebook
These would contain the blast and fragmentation effects, MINDEF said.
Source: MINDEF
Safety cordons and protective measures were in effect to safeguard personnel, infrastructure, and the public.
Lieutenant-Colonel Tay Jun Jie, Commanding Officer of 36th Battalion Singapore Combat Engineers, said the priority was to ensure a safe and controlled disposal, “with the safety of the public and our personnel as our foremost priority”.
CBRE DG worked in close coordination with SPF, CAG, the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) during the operation.
Fragments inspected after bomb disposal
Eventually, the bomb was successfully disposed of with minimal disruption to the public and airport operations, MINDEF said.
Source: MINDEF
After the disposal, all that was left of the bomb were fragments.
Source: MINDEF
The fragments were subsequently inspected by Army personnel in order to make sure they were safe.
Source: MINDEF
Bomb disposal had no impact on Changi Airport operations
CAG later told Channel NewsAsia (CNA) that the bomb disposal was conducted with no impact on airport operations.
While Changi Airport’s Runway 2 had to be closed as a safety precaution, no issues were observed with the infrastructure and systems in the vicinity of the site.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) told CNA that no airspace restrictions were imposed as flights did not go over the disposal site.
Thus, there was no impact on flight operations, CAAS added.
Also read: WWII Bomb Found At Upp Bukit Timah Construction Site Detonated Twice, Loud Blasts Heard
WWII Bomb Found At Upp Bukit Timah Construction Site Detonated Twice, Loud Blasts Heard
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Featured image adapted from MINDEF.
