On New Year's Eve

Boy (10) injured by ice splinters during fireworks

From deafening firecrackers to glowing rockets: Many Tyroleans let off some serious fireworks on New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, accidents involving pyrotechnic objects were not uncommon. Setting off a firecracker had fatal consequences for a ten-year-old in Imst, among others.

Shortly after 10.30 p.m. on Wednesday night, a 16-year-old set off a class F2 firecracker in the garden of a house in Imst. "He had previously placed it on a frozen rain barrel", according to the police. His ten-year-old brother wanted to watch the "spectacle" around eight meters away, but was hit in the face by shards of ice that were blown out. The boy had to be taken to hospital in Innsbruck.

Right hand burnt
Lighting a firework battery also ended painfully for a 52-year-old Slovakian in Sölden. The hotel worker burned his right hand shortly after midnight. "According to the man, the firework battery ignited too quickly," explained the police. The man had to be treated as an outpatient.

Parking ticket machines damaged
On the night of January 1st, particularly amusing contemporaries damaged a total of six parking ticket machines with pyrotechnic objects in Andechsstraße, Gumpstraße, Radetzkystraße and Reut-Nicolussi-Straße in Innsbruck. "Damage amounting to a five-digit euro sum was caused," said the police.