BERLIN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Germany welcomed the New Year amid tragedy and controversy as five lives were lost in fireworks-related accidents and hundreds were arrested nationwide, German media reported on Wednesday.
The fatalities were attributed to explosions or mishandling of fireworks, with some incidents involving self-made, illegally obtained, or improperly used firecrackers, according to the German public broadcast ARD program Tagesschau.
Hospitals across Germany reported a surge in fireworks-related injuries, with burns, hand and facial injuries, and hearing damage being the most frequent cases.
In Berlin, police arrested at least 390 individuals for various offenses during the New Year celebrations. Additionally, 15 police officers and a firefighter were injured, according to the German news agency dpa, citing Interior Senator Iris Spranger.
Violence broke out in several parts of Germany during the New Year celebrations. In Leipzig, rioters set fire to rubbish bins, built barricades, and around 50 individuals hurled fireworks and bottles at police. In Cologne, authorities reported that two officers were injured by firecrackers, while similar unrest was also reported in Hamburg.
In Bonn, a group of teenagers launched a New Year's Eve rocket at a homeless man as he slept, leaving him in shock. The suspects reportedly filmed the attack on their mobile phones.
These and other chaotic scenes have sparked widespread concerns over the safety risks posed by private fireworks use.
Representatives from the police, fire brigade, and the German Medical Association have voiced strong opposition to the unrestricted sale of fireworks for New Year's celebrations.
Jochen Kopelke, chairman of the police union, called for decisive actions in response to the New Year's Eve incidents. "Fireworks are meant for the sky, not for the streets," he said. "Too many dead, too many injured, too many police deployed."
German Medical Association President Klaus Reinhardt also advocated for reform, urging a nationwide ban on private fireworks. "If politicians remain inactive, they contribute to the fact that thousands of people are injured by New Year's Eve fireworks year after year."
