Ten children were injured in an explosion at a secondary school in Oberhausen, Germany, after a firecracker was thrown into a changing room. Five of the injured, aged 10 and 11, were taken to nearby hospitals as a precaution.
Explosion in School Changing Room
Emergency services were called to the school in the Osterfeld district of Oberhausen at approximately 9:40 am on Tuesday, November 3. According to initial findings, a group of students threw a firecracker into a sports changing room where twelve fifth-grade students were present.
The explosion injured a total of ten children. Five of the injured children, aged 10 and 11, were taken to nearby hospitals for further medical examination as a precaution due to headaches and earaches.
Police Investigation Underway
Parents and guardians were informed of the incident, and some appeared at the school in person. All students who, according to current information, were involved in the incident were found at the scene. The ages of those suspected of throwing the firecracker have not been disclosed, and the school has not been publicly named.
The responsible Criminal Investigation Department 12 has taken over the further investigation, which is ongoing.
Similar Incident in Neuwied
The incident comes four days after another firecracker exploded in the boys' toilets at a school in Neuwied, Germany, on Friday. Several pupils suffered minor hearing-related injuries after the firecracker detonated during a school break, according to local reports. German media later reported that eight pupils had been injured, with the children suffering acoustic trauma caused by the loud blast. Police were alerted and launched an investigation, but it remained unclear how the explosion occurred or who was responsible. The school involved was not identified in the initial police report, and authorities did not confirm whether any of the children required hospital treatment.
