Three People Die in Europe from Fireworks Despite Bans

Government bans did not stop fireworks enthusiasts: they travelled to other countries or made their own.

Three people have died and dozens have been injured by fireworks in Europe, even though their use has been banned. 

In the Netherlands, a 12-year-old boy died and another person was seriously injured while watching an adult launch a homemade device. A local police force detained the man. 

Local residents said they heard a loud bang around noon. On the street where the accident happened, several neighbours hold small celebrations every year. 

In Germany, a 37-year-old man died in a fireworks explosion on New Year’s Eve in the city of Hennef. Two men were planning to launch a firework, but an explosion occurred that injured them.

Eyewitnesses said they saw the men fall to the ground, so they immediately called for doctors. Emergency medical services began resuscitation efforts on the 37-year-old man, but all efforts were in vain. The second man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. There is no information about his condition. 

Police are investigating. According to preliminary information, the firework may have been faulty or homemade. 

Several people were injured in the country in incidents related to fireworks. For example, in Berlin, 12 people were injured during a private party on New Year’s Eve. The youngest victim is 11 years old. All of them are in hospital with various injuries. 

In addition, several thousand people gathered in Berlin near the Brandenburg Gate, waiting for the traditional New Year’s fireworks display. Although the cancellation of the traditional celebrations was announced in advance, people came and waited for the spectacle. 

Police began warning people that there would be no large fireworks display. A festive show with pyrotechnics was staged at the Brandenburg Gate, but only for television broadcast, and the public was not admitted. Those who gathered in vain to wait for the big fireworks dispersed around one in the morning. 

In Hamburg, two people were injured while launching fireworks, and in Bamfeld a 50-year-old man suffered serious facial injuries while using homemade pyrotechnics. A similar incident occurred in Leipzig, where a man was seriously injured by a firecracker, possibly also homemade. 

According to local media, at least 80 people were injured by fireworks in the Netherlands. People lost legs and arms in the explosions. 

The Netherlands and Germany banned the sale of fireworks for New Year’s because of the coronavirus pandemic. Officials justified this step by saying that fireworks-related injuries would put a heavy strain on hospitals, which were already afraid of the virus. 

However, in both countries this did not stop fireworks enthusiasts. People travelled to other countries to buy festive pyrotechnic products, and in some cases even made them themselves. 

Austria also had several incidents involving fireworks; in one case, a 23-year-old man died while returning to a firework that had failed to explode.