BERLIN: A bomb threat forced the closure of Germany’s famous Oktoberfest festival on Wednesday while Munich police investigated a deadly incident involving a house rigged with explosives.
Police swept the annual beer festival grounds in downtown Munich after earlier responding to a burning residential house in the city’s northern Lerchenau district.
Munich police announced the festival closure via their WhatsApp channel due to an unspecified bomb threat connected to the northern Munich incident.
The alarm about the northern Munich incident was raised before dawn when explosions were heard inside the burning house and police commandos rushed to the scene.
Police confirmed the residential building was deliberately set on fire as a result of a family dispute according to current information.
A badly injured person was later found nearby and had since died while one other person remains missing without indications they pose a threat.
Police deployed a bomb squad to the residential house in Lerchenau district as smoke rose into the morning sky.
Bild daily reported the dead man was suspected of causing the explosion and fire in his parents’ house before killing himself with shots fired during the incident.
Police confirmed explosive devices were discovered in the affected building with special forces called in for their defusal.
Local newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported the dead suspect had issued a written threat against the Oktoberfest.
Police reiterated the festival grounds on Theresienwiese would remain closed until 5:00 pm due to the unspecified bomb threat.
Security sweeps were underway in restricted access areas around the festival grounds with all staff requested to leave.
Munich mayor Dieter Reiter said in an Instagram video that an individual threatened the Oktoberfest and authorities unanimously agreed they could not risk allowing people to attend.
The police will thoroughly search the entire Oktoberfest grounds by 5:00 pm to ensure security according to the mayor.
Mayor Reiter added he would make another announcement if security could not be achieved with the festival remaining closed.
The festival running from September 20 to October 5 is considered the world’s largest such gathering with 6.7 million visitors in 2024. – AFP