Italian Army EOD specialists from the reggimento genio ferrovieri in Castel Maggiore completed the defusing of a wartime explosive device found in Fonteblanda, in the Municipality of Orbetello, on 4 October 2026.
The World War II bomb weighed approximately 226 kilograms and contained 147 kilograms of TNT. It was found on land adjacent to the Aurelia State Highway.
Three phases to neutralize the device
The clearance operation was coordinated by the Prefecture of Grosseto and the Italian Army’s Comando Territoriale Nord in Padua. Activities were carried out in three distinct phases.
In the days before the operation, the Italian Army’s CMD (Conventional Munition Disposal) team set up a temporary protective structure at the discovery site. The measure was intended to mitigate the effects of any accidental explosion.
The soldiers then neutralized the bomb by removing its fuze system. EOD specialists from the reggimento genio ferrovieri subsequently transported the device to a safe location, where it was destroyed.
The operation also involved the law enforcement agencies, the Fire Brigade, the Italian Red Cross, the local health authority, Civil Protection, and the Municipality of Orbetello.
Roads closed and residents evacuated
During the removal of the fuze system, traffic had to be suspended on several roads near the discovery site. The Rome-Pisa railway line was also closed.
The security measures also included the evacuation of all residents in the area adjacent to the bomb disposal operation.
About 200 operations in 2026
During 2026, Italian Army specialists from Castel Maggiore conducted approximately 200 operations, destroying 370 explosive devices. These included three aerial bombs.
Their area of responsibility includes the provinces of Bologna, Forlì Cesena, and Rimini in Emilia Romagna. In Tuscany, it includes Florence, Prato, Pistoia, Arezzo, Siena, and Grosseto.
The activity is part of the duties assigned to the Armed Forces to safeguard public safety.
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