Five people lost their lives, and a police officer was seriously injured in accidents related to fireworks during New Year celebrations across Germany, police said on Wednesday.
Fireworks are a major part of German New Year traditions, but their powerful nature often leads to injuries and sparks debates about banning the more dangerous devices.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, a 24-year-old man died after detonating a homemade pyrotechnic rocket near Paderborn, according to local police.
In Saxony, a 45-year-old man in Oschatz suffered fatal head injuries while lighting a powerful F4 category firework, which requires a special permit. Another tragic incident occurred in Hartha, where a 50-year-old man died instantly after attempting to detonate a pyrotechnic pipe bomb.
In northern Germany, near Hamburg, a 20-year-old man died while lighting a firework.
The fifth fatality was reported in Kremen near Berlin, where a man died from mishandling pyrotechnics. In the same area, three others were seriously injured under similar circumstances.
Police spokesperson Florian Nath said 30 law enforcement officers were injured nationwide, including one officer who was seriously hurt by an illegally made firework.
In Berlin, around 400 people were detained overnight. Police reported that, unlike in previous years, there were no major outbreaks of violence or significant incidents.
