Five people lost their lives across Germany, and a police officer sustained serious injuries in accidents involving fireworks during New Year celebrations, according to preliminary police reports.
Fireworks are a long-standing tradition for Germans ringing in the New Year, though their intense use sparks annual debates over banning powerful devices due to frequent injuries, pollution, and noise concerns.
This year, 13 law enforcement officers were injured, with one in a critical condition, police spokesman Florian Nath confirmed. In Berlin, some 330 individuals were detained overnight, but authorities noted no major incidents of violence compared to previous years.
Tragic incidents included the death of a 24-year-old man near Paderborn, believed to have detonated a self-made pyrotechnic rocket, and a 45-year-old in Saxony killed by an illegal F4 category firework. Other fatalities occurred near Hamburg, Hartha, and Kremen, with causes linked to mishandling or unauthorised devices.
The accidents have reignited calls for stricter regulations on fireworks in Germany.
