Berlin blasting site to be primarily a temporary storage facility

More than two years after the major fire at the blasting site in Berlin's Grunewald forest, a new concept is to significantly reduce the risks.

The actual destruction or detonation of world war bombs, fireworks and other explosives will in future be carried out by external companies, the Senate announced. All materials that can be safely transported are to be disposed of by certified disposal companies.

Temporary storage of non-transportable materials and objects

Previously, this had been the actual main purpose of the blasting site. Now it will mainly be used for interim storage. "At the Grunewald blasting site, only materials and objects that cannot be transported will be destroyed. The potential danger is therefore significantly reduced by the new regular operation." Explosives or explosive devices that originate from criminals and could play a role in legal proceedings are also examined.

Quantity of explosive substances significantly reduced after fire

In August 2022, there were several explosions and a fire at the blasting site, which took days for the fire brigade to extinguish. The amount of explosive materials such as illegal fireworks, unexploded bombs and ammunition was then significantly reduced.