On 21 October, a blast in an apartment on Mickiewicza Street in Głubczyce forced an evacuation, uncovering a World War II artillery shell and a mine in the flat.
Morning blast and evacuation of residents
At about 7:30 a.m. on 21 October, Głubczyce police were alerted when a window of a multi‑family building appeared to protrude, indicating a blast. Investigators confirmed an exploded unexploded object inside an apartment housing three people – two men (62 and 65) and a 45‑year‑old woman – all under the influence of alcohol. The men sustained injuries; one leg wound, the other generalised bodily damage, but neither was in danger of death. Because of the risk of further explosions, 36 residents and nearby households were evicted.
Military souvenir hidden in the apartment
Police traced the blast to a World War II artillery shell. The 62‑year‑old owner admitted finding it during a forest walk and bringing it home as a keepsake. A subsequent search also uncovered a mine, which sappers from the Katowice counter‑terror unit secured and neutralised at a firing range. After the site cleared, residents returned to their homes.
Police remind: do not touch unexploded ordnance
The investigation, supervised by the prosecutor, urges that any item resembling an artillery shell must not be touched, moved, or treated as if disarmed. Areas should be cordoned off, especially from children, and marked if in open or forested locations so they can be easily located. Finders should notify the nearest police unit immediately. Officers stress that such ordnance remains hazardous even after decades, with the impact radius of large shells potentially reaching hundreds of metres.
