17-year-old dies after using pyrotechnics on New Year's Eve

A 17-year-old was seriously injured in Leipzig on New Year's Eve when using pyrotechnics and later died in the hospital. Third-party negligence is currently excluded, the police said on Sunday morning. No further information on the case could be given at this time.

In Thuringia, two men were seriously injured by exploding fireworks on New Year's Eve. A 42-year-old was so badly injured in Friemar near Gotha when handling firecrackers ordered online that both forearms had to be amputated, the police said. In Schleiz, a 21-year-old lost his hand in an accident involving an explosive device. The illegal ball bomb exploded as soon as it was ignited. Despite the serious injuries, the men are not in mortal danger.

When lighting fireworks on the street, a pedestrian in Saxony-Anhalt was hit by a car and fatally injured. The 42-year-old was thrown several meters across the road by the force of the impact early Sunday morning, the police said. He died at the scene of the accident in Schönebeck (Elbe). The 61-year-old driver committed a hit-and-run after the accident. A witness followed him and, according to the police, was able to persuade him to turn back. After that, the 61-year-old measured 1.86 per mille. He was given a blood sample and driver's license.

A 23-year-old man died in the traditional carbide shooting on New Year's Eve in the Netherlands. After the accident in the village of Diessen near Eindhoven, the young man was flown by helicopter to a clinic on Saturday afternoon, where he died of his serious injuries, the ANP news agency reported, citing the police. Around 40 people witnessed the accident.

In carbide shooting, small carbide stones are placed in a large old metal milk can or slurry tanker and wetted so that gas forms. The can, closed with a plastic ball, is then ignited via a pilot hole, shooting the ball dozens of meters and making a resounding bang. Sometimes numerous barrels are fired at the same time. Carbide shooting is part of the intangible cultural heritage in the Netherlands, the tradition comes from the Germans.