Thank God nobody was hurt in this bizarre mess; first responders, doctors, nurses, and patients all walked away safe after a 24-year-old Frenchman turned a “routine” ER visit into a full-blown bomb scare.
A live, eight-inch-long World War I artillery shell, dating back to 1918, lodged in the man’s rectum forced the evacuation of Rangueil Hospital in Toulouse, France, late on Saturday night, January 31.
When they discovered the explosive during imaging, doctors halted emergency surgery mid-procedure. Bomb disposal experts rushed in, as firefighters stood ready, and staff cleared patients and areas while a security perimeter went up.
The artillery shell used by the Imperial German Army turned out to be harmless after inspection. Fortunately, there were no detonations or injuries, but the disruption hit hard.
One Man’s “Extreme Discomfort” Becomes Everyone’s Nightmare
The unnamed 24-year-old arrived complaining of severe pain and admitted to inserting a large object. Surgeons at the Rangueil Accident and Emergency unit, who opened him up, were expecting something relatively routine. Instead, they found the 37mm brass-and-copper munition, and staff immediately called the authorities, while hospital administrators shut down sections, rerouted ambulances, delayed surgeries, and moved people to safety.
What started as one guy’s private idiocy exploded into a public safety crisis.
Bomb Squad Steps In: Because Hospitals Aren’t Built for Ordnance
French explosive ordnance disposal teams train specifically for these rare, ridiculous threats, because why wouldn’t they?
There has to be a French joke in there somewhere.
The team stabilized the shell, carefully extracted it, and transported it out of the hospital without incident. Until experts gave the all-clear, the hospital stayed partially evacuated.
One-hundred-year-old munitions like this go off from pressure, heat, or jostling. Nobody gambles when lives fill the building. The patient survived the removal, but the ordeal highlights that a single reckless act drags in professionals who already risk enough.
The Real Cost: Delays, Resources, and Wasted Time
Emergency rooms don’t hit pause lightly because ambulances detour, critical cases wait, and staff scramble as they handle a situation straight out of a bad joke.
French taxpayers paid the bill for the response, including bomb teams, firefighters, and extra security. People with genuine medical emergencies face longer waits and uncertainty, all because some idiot thought it a great idea to stick a century-old explosive where the sun doesn’t shine.
Curiosity Meets Consequences: The Thin Line Between “Dumb” and Dangerous
People, being people, chase thrills, attention, or weird stories to tell later. Intent doesn’t matter when the risk spreads. Recklessness turns personal stupidity into shared hazard. Hospitals treat illness and injury, not improvised munitions. Emergency workers face enough threats without inheriting somebody else’s bad idea.
Lessons That Stick Around
The patient rightfully faces possible charges, mounting bills, and ongoing questions, while hospital officials review their protocols and staff relive the chaos.
Headlines fade, but the disruption lingers; while some lessons quietly show up, others roll in with sirens, specialists, and a very clear message: think before inserting a 100-year bomb in your bum.
Public spaces rely on shared responsibility. Hospitals can’t function when personal stunts bring unpredictable danger. PJ Media VIP backs commentary that calls out nonsense and demands common sense over spectacle. Support independent writing that refuses to laugh off real consequences.
