German New Year's tragedy: Fireworks chaos claims three lives
A tragic New Year's Eve in Germany saw three people lose their lives and many others injured due to the careless handling of fireworks.
Two people died in Saxony. In Oschatz, east of Leipzig, a 45-year-old man lost his life. Near Chemnitz, a 50-year-old man was fatally injured.
In Geseke, North Rhine-Westphalia, a 24-year-old died while tampering with a firecracker, according to a local police spokeswoman.
The Berlin Emergency Hospital in the Marzahn district reported eight victims of fireworks explosions, at least two of whom suffered serious injuries to their hands and face.
Hundreds of police interventions
In Frankfurt am Main, several individuals were injured by a firecracker explosion. The police are urging caution when using pyrotechnics, particularly homemade ones. In Leipzig, a group of New Year's Eve revellers threw fireworks and bottles at police officers, resulting in a fire.
The Berlin police intervened over 300 times, and in the city centre, including Alexanderplatz, there were riots. Thirteen officers were injured. The German media highlighted that the situation was exceptionally tense and dangerous.
