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| Germany's Oktoberfest was recently closed today following bomb threat / |
Germany’s world-famous Oktoberfest was briefly shut down on Wednesday, October 1, after a bomb threat linked to an explosion and fire in Munich, organisers confirmed.
Police and firefighters rushed to a residential property in the city’s Lerchenau district early in the morning after reports of a blaze. Investigators said the house had been rigged with explosives before being set alight. Thick smoke could be seen rising over the area.
A man was discovered badly injured near the scene and later died of his wounds, police reported. According to Bild, the suspect may have triggered the blast in his parents’ home and then killed himself, with gunshots possibly fired during the incident. Police, however, have not confirmed those details.
Authorities also said they were probing any connection between the explosion and the Oktoberfest, which takes place annually at the Theresienwiese fairgrounds near central Munich.
In a statement, organisers announced: “Due to a bomb threat in connection with the explosion in northern Munich, Theresienwiese will remain closed until 5:00 pm for the time being.”This year’s festival, which runs from September 20 to October 5, is the world’s largest funfair. In 2024, it attracted 6.7 million visitors.