Carnival troupe:

Boy (16) pelted with firecracker in toilet

The teenagers set off a firecracker in a toilet where there was a boy (symbolic image)(Bild: APA/dpa/Caroline Seidel)

It was a really stupid joke: boys who were still in a carnival mood threw a firecracker into a service station toilet - but a 16-year-old boy was there at the time. His father was able to catch the suspicious teenagers and hand them over to the police. His son was injured.

The three boys, aged 17 and 18, were at the Westautobahn service area near Schörfling on Monday night and had continued partying at one of the teenagers' homes after a carnival parade. They wanted to buy snacks and drinks from the vending machine at the rest stop.

Firecrackers set off in the toilet
One of the boys, an 18-year-old from Regau, had a fatal idea: he suddenly lit a firecracker and threw it into the men's toilet at the service area. A 16-year-old from Tulln (Lower Austria), who was passing through with his family, was there at the time. The 16-year-old's father noticed the bang and saw several people running away.

Father caught the culprits
He was able to grab one of the youths, a 17-year-old, and hold him until the police arrived. The 18-year-old firecracker thrower then handed himself in to the police. The 16-year-old victim complained of blast trauma. However, he and his family were able to continue their journey. The 18-year-old was released and charged with assault and damage to property