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Fireworks in the Berlin night sky
Photo: Anadolu / Getty Images
Shortly before New Year's Eve, a man lost a hand while igniting a firework rocket in Berlin. The 40-year-old ignited the signal rocket on Saturday evening on the terrace of a bungalow, the Berlin police said on Sunday. Immediately after ignition, the rocket exploded in his hand. The man was taken to a hospital.
According to initial findings, the firecracker was an F4 signal missile. Such large-scale fireworks may only be used by trained pyrotechnicians. Whether the 40-year-old has such a permit is now being examined, it said. Further pyrotechnics were found and confiscated from the man. The LKA is investigating.
Fireworks are divided into four categories. Category F1 includes small fireworks such as sparklers, table fireworks and joke articles, while category F2 includes rockets, batteries and firecrackers.
Medical Association calls for firecracker ban
Year after year, there are numerous injuries caused by New Year's Eve firecrackers. According to the German Medical Association, 838 people suffered eye injuries last year alone. This is a record high and around 300 more injured than in the years before the corona pandemic. Together with the ear, burn and hand injuries, the number was in the four-digit range. The high number of underage victims is particularly tragic.
The German Medical Association, together with environmental and animal welfare organisations, doctors' associations and the police, is therefore campaigning for a ban on firecrackers on New Year's Eve and is calling for support from the federal and state governments. "The political leaders should spend a New Year's Eve in an ambulance or in an emergency ambulance, then their view of the seemingly peaceful New Year's Eve fireworks would quickly change," said Chamber President Klaus Reinhardt, according to a statement on Friday. In addition to the increased risk of injury, rescue and law enforcement forces in particular are exposed to threats and attacks at the turn of the year. "Nobody wants to deprive people of the opportunity to celebrate New Year's Eve exuberantly. But you don't need gunpowder for a nice turn of the year."
sak/dpa