Germany’s New Year’s Eve celebrations were marked by tragedy as five people died and numerous emergency workers were injured in fireworks-related incidents across the country. Two deaths occurred in Saxony, including a 45-year-old man who died while handling what was described as a “firework bomb.”
In Berlin, firefighters responded to 1,892 incidents, an increase of 294 from the previous year, with over 1,500 emergency personnel on duty. The capital city reported 13 attacks on emergency workers, and police detained 330 people. One police officer was severely injured by a suspected illegal firework and required surgery.
Munich experienced particularly serious injuries, including three children aged two, eleven, and fourteen. The younger children suffered burns, while the teenager lost parts of his hand to a firecracker. The city also saw a major apartment fire caused by a stray firework that spread from a first-floor balcony to the second floor.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser defended the strong police presence and early intervention strategies, while the first responders’ union condemned the violence against emergency services. The BVPK, a German pyrotechnics association, emphasized that the primary concern lies with illegal and homemade fireworks rather than legal products.
Despite ongoing calls from environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe for a nationwide ban on private fireworks sales, these pyrotechnics remain a significant part of German New Year’s celebrations, with thousands set off on city streets annually.
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