German authorities shut down the well-known Oktoberfest in Munich on Wednesday following an explosion and fireplace in a residential constructing within the north of town, and mentioned the pageant would stay closed a minimum of till the night.
“Due to a bomb threat in connection with the explosion in northern Munich, the Theresienwiese [Oktoberfest location] will not open until 17:00,” town authorities mentioned in a message shared on-line.
Residents in Munich’s northern Lerchenau district reported loud bangs and seeing flames simply earlier than 5 a.m. native time, and Munich police confirmed that one individual had died of accidents sustained within the incident at a personal residence.
Investigators consider the fireplace was attributable to arson following a household dispute. Inside the house, authorities found a number of explosive gadgets rigged to detonate, the police mentioned.
Police are seen on the Theresienwiese grounds of the Oktoberfest beer pageant, Oct. 1, 2025, in Munich, Germany, after the pageant was closed because of a bomb menace.
ALEXANDRA BEIER/AFP/Getty
Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter advised town council that there was a “verified bomb threat” in opposition to Oktoberfest.
“Police will do everything possible to fully search the festival grounds by 5 p.m.,” Reiter mentioned. “Safety comes first.”
The U.S. Consulate in Munich issued an alert to Americans within the metropolis, noting “the closure of the Oktoberfest (Wiesn) grounds due to a bomb threat” and urging nationals to “avoid the area around the Oktoberfest grounds.”
The early morning explosion triggered a large emergency response. Police evacuated a 200-yard radius across the constructing, which caught on fireplace, and a close-by center college was closed.
The scene of a automobile fireplace at Dahlienstrase, near a home fireplace reportedly set on objective amid a home dispute, Oct. 1, 2025, within the Lerchenau space of northern Munich, Germany.
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Officers mentioned Oktoberfest could possibly be allowed to reopen on Wednesday night, pending the end result of the continued safety sweeps of the pageant grounds.
Police mentioned they have been conscious of a put up on-line mentioning “antifa” that claimed accountability for arson in northern Munich, which they have been investigating for any potential hyperlinks.
Extra from CBS Information
