13-year-old seriously injured in firecracker explosion in Halle

A 13-year-old was seriously injured in the hand when a firecracker exploded in Halle, East Westphalia. Two other teenagers, aged 15 and 16, sustained minor injuries. According to a statement, the police have started investigating the incident.

Accordingly, witnesses heard an explosion in a forest in Halle (Gütersloh district) on Sunday evening, noticed an injured person and called the police. A patrol car crew met the three teenagers. While the older two did not require medical treatment, the 13-year-old was taken to a hospital, police said.

Witness statements in the incident do not match

The young people stated that two previously unknown young people dressed in dark clothes threw a firecracker on the ground near them, which then exploded. The unknown people then fled. However, this is contrasted with statements from witnesses who only saw the three injured people running out of the forest. A lighter was also found on an e-scooter left behind by the three young people.

The police are now hoping for further information from witnesses that could help clarify what happened. A connection to property damage on Friday evening is also being examined: two unknown young people had damaged a mailbox in Halle with a pyrotechnic object. According to police reports, they fled on an e-scooter.