Netherlands bomb: Man spends hours lying on top of grenade in Dutch city
'He was almost hypothermic'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A man is being treated in a Dutch hospital after spending two and a half hours lying on top of a bomb.
Around 120 people were evacuated from nearby buildings in the city of Venlo in the early hours of Thursday, while a bomb disposal team worked to free him.
He reportedly found the device, described as a grenade or shell dating from the Second World War, while walking his dog.
The man's girlfriend told Dutch broadcaster L1 that he called the emergency services "because the thing was hissing".
He covered the unexploded grenade with his body and lay there as temperatures plummeted, until explosive experts were able to free him hours later.
"He was almost hypothermic," his girlfriend said. "Only after an hour did he get a blanket."
"He really did not want to commit suicide," she added.
The bomb disposals team found that it no longer contained any explosive materials and allowed evacuated residents to return home.
It remains a mystery why the bomb was hissing, a fire department spokesperson said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments