Five people were killed in fireworks-related accidents in Germany on New Year's Eve. In several cities, participants in mass celebrations attacked police officers. The Berlin police reported 330 arrests. This is reported by UNN with reference to DW.
Among the dead is a 20-year-old man who suffered fatal injuries from the explosion of a homemade firecracker in Hamburg.
Several people in Berlin lost fingers or parts of their hands due to pyrotechnic explosions. Three children were injured in Munich, and in Rostock a firecracker exploded right in front of a ten-year-old boy's face.
In Berlin, 330 people were detained, 13 police officers suffered serious injuries, and one of them was operated on after a firecracker hit him in the leg.
In Leipzig, about 100-150 young people shot pyrotechnics at each other, aimed at cars and trams, and set fire to a garbage can.
Also in Hamburg, Gelsenkirchen, Dresden and several other cities, police, firefighters and rescuers were attacked with fireworks and firecrackers.
In Schwäbisch Gmünd in Baden-Württemberg, three police officers were slightly injured after a firecracker exploded near them.
Also according to Spiegel, an unknown person broke into a refugee center in Schwalmtal (Viersen district) to set off fireworks. According to the police, an old car with four or five people inside stopped near the center. Witnesses said one of the suspects got out of the car, went through the open doors to the kitchen and threw a firecracker into the washing machine. As he drove away, two rockets were lit and thrown towards the residential building. No one was injured. According to reports, the people in the car were between 15 and 18 years old.
Law enforcement is investigating, the motives are still unclear.
