French hospital uncovers a WWI shell in a patient’s rectum, prompting bomb squad response in Toulouse Rangueil Hospital in southern France discovered a First World War artillery shell lodged in the rectum of a 24-year-old man, prompting the deployment of a bomb disposal unit.
The incident occurred late on January 31 when the patient presented at the Accident and Emergency department reporting severe pain.
French media reported that the patient admitted to medical staff that he had “introduced an object” into his rectum without specifying its nature. During a routine medical procedure, surgeons identified the object as a decommissioned shell approximately 16 centimetres long and four centimetres wide.
Authorities were immediately notified. Police arrived at the hospital around 1.40 a.m. and established a security perimeter while explosives experts assessed the shell. Firefighters were mobilised as a precautionary measure to prevent any risk of fire during the examination.
Experts confirmed the shell dated from the end of the First World War and posed no danger. French news outlets noted that the origin of the object remains unknown.
The patient continues under medical observation. Meanwhile, the Toulouse prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the discovery.
Hospital officials commended staff for their composure and adherence to safety protocols, which ensured no injury occurred during the incident.
