Burning firecracker in a hood: boy injured in Bürstadt! Police are looking for witnesses!

Burning firecracker in a hood: boy injured in Bürstadt! Police are looking for witnesses!

In a worrying development, a ten-year-old in Bürstadt, southern Hesse, has suffered serious injuries in a shocking incident. An unknown person stuck a burning firecracker in the hood of his sweater. The incident occurred in the afternoon at the Alla Hopp facility. The perpetrator first grabbed the boy by the shoulder and acted quickly by sticking the firecracker into the hood. Luckily, the boy was able to get the firecracker out of his hood in time before it exploded. However, there were injuries to his hand that were described as “not insignificant” and required temporary hospitalization. The police have now launched a search for the wanted perpetrator, who was wearing a yellow sweater with the hood pulled up when he committed the crime. The local authorities are asking for help and are looking for witnesses to the incident. daily news reports that such incidents have increased in recent years.

But this incident in Bürstadt is not the only one that has recently caused concern. New Year's Eve 2024/2025 was marked by chaos and violence in many cities in Germany. At least five people were killed by fireworks during clashes with emergency services. In Berlin, for example, the police had to fight constantly against the unauthorized setting off of fireworks while tens of thousands of people celebrated at the Brandenburg Gate. While Hamburg drew a largely positive conclusion, the emergency services in other cities struggled with massive riots, such as in Kiel, where they were attacked by a large group. In Cologne, two officers were injured by firecrackers, and children were also injured by fireworks in Munich. Frankfurter Rundschau informs about the increasing number of incidents and the increasing risk posed by fireworks.

Dangers and injuries caused by fireworks

The risks around New Year's Eve are enormous. Every year between 200 and 400 people in Austria suffer injuries from fireworks, young people in particular are affected. Statistics show that around two thirds of those injured are under 25 years old, with the largest risk group being 15 to 24 year olds. Children up to the age of 14 also make up a worrying proportion of those injured. Injury patterns range from deep cuts to amputations to severe burns, particularly on the hands and face. Cosmo highlights that in 78 percent of cases the hands are affected, which is due to unsafe handling of fireworks, often under the influence of alcohol.

An alarming finding: 93 percent of those surveyed say they fire rockets unsafely, which further increases the risk of accidents. What is particularly worrying is that in 55 percent of households with children, they are present when fireworks are set off. Experts strongly criticize the poor awareness of the dangers of pyrotechnics. KFV Director, Christian Simanofsky, emphasizes the need to raise awareness of these risks.

Given these alarming developments, it is crucial that both parents and society as a whole take responsibility to protect children and young people from the dangers of fireworks. Especially in the upcoming celebrations, everyone should remember that safety comes first.