On the Brenner highway

US aerial bomb defused, closures lifted

This unexploded bomb was defused on Sunday.

(Bild: Kampfmittelräumdienst des zweiten Regiments Sturmpioniere Trient)

"Operation 'Brixina 2025' a success", announced the province of South Tyrol on Sunday afternoon. We are talking about the defusing of the US aerial bomb that was discovered during construction work in the Brixen Süd industrial estate. The Brenner highway, roads and railroad line had to be closed as a precaution. Now traffic can move again!

"The US aerial bomb from the Second World War weighing less than 500 kilograms that was discovered on a construction site in the industrial estate south of Bressanone/Brixen has been defused. As of 11.03 a.m., traffic can once again pass through the restricted zone set up around the site," it said.

Restricted area with power cut-off
The control center at the headquarters of the Brixen volunteer fire department had been in session since the early hours of the morning. The red zone within a radius of 591 meters was evacuated, the electricity was gradually switched off from 8.30 a.m., and a partial evacuation was ordered for the yellow zone within a radius of 755 meters - with the requirement to stay indoors.

The Brenner highway (A22) between the Klausen/Gröden and Brixen/Pustertal exits, the Brenner state road (SS12) and the adjacent cycling and hiking trails in this area as well as the Brenner railroad line between Bozen/Bolzano and Brixen/Bressanone were completely closed.

Controlled blasting in a gravel pit
"At 10.58 a.m., the sappers from the explosive ordnance disposal service completed the detonation of the detonators," the province of South Tyrol reported. The defused explosive device was then transported to a gravel pit where it will be detonated in a controlled manner.

The traffic jam feared in advance - also on the Austrian side - largely failed to materialize. The Tyrolean traffic police said in the late morning that drivers should have prepared themselves for the closure.