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WWII shells surface in wildfire-ravaged French village / Photo: ROMAIN PERROCHEAU - AFP
WWII shells surface in wildfire-ravaged French village
A huge forest fire near Bordeaux in southwestern France has revealed World War II shells in the village of Le Porge, where all residents returned to their homes on Monday after days of demining operations.
Around 400 shells and pieces of ammunition have been recovered in the area where over 180 homes were ravaged by flames, according to local authorities.
During the fire, blasts were heard, initially mistaken for exploding gas cylinders, but they may have been these shells, according to fire commander Thomas Mimiague.
The munitions, both German and French, consist mainly of mortar shells, along with some high-explosive anti-tank shells.
"We don’t really know why they're there; we think they were just abandoned," Mimiague said.
A.Harris--SMC
