Ball bombs on New Year’s Eve: What to do about the illegal firecrackers?

In view of the severe damage caused by so-called ball bombs on New Year’s Eve in Berlin, calls for consequences are being raised.

“The import of banned fireworks – ball bombs – from eastern countries must be prevented through even stricter border controls,” said the CDU’s domestic policy spokesman in the Berlin House of Representatives, Burkard Dregger, to the German Press Agency. “These already banned fireworks were the main cause of the injuries and property damage.”

Because bullet bombs are not freely available for sale in Germany, they are smuggled in from Poland or the Czech Republic, Dregger added on RBB24 Inforadio. We now have to talk to these states about solutions to prevent illegal imports.

Because of their high explosive power, ball bombs are actually not approved for general use in this country. Over the New Year in Berlin, experts observed that such dangerous explosive devices were exploding more frequently and often in an uncontrolled manner. The result: A number of people were seriously injured. In Schöneberg, house facades and cars were severely damaged by the force of a detonation, and many window panes were broken. 36 apartments are currently uninhabitable.

35 people are being treated in the Berlin Accident Hospital (UKB) alone for serious injuries caused by New Year’s Eve fireworks. “More patients are still coming to us from other hospitals,” reported spokeswoman Angela Kijewski. Some of those affected would be transferred from Berlin clinics to the special clinic, and some from the surrounding area.

Several patients were seriously injured in their hands, faces and eyes by so-called bullet bombs, including children. Others affected suffered severe hearing damage or even permanent hearing loss as a result of the explosion of these explosive devices.

“The illegal so-called ball bombs, which are self-made or imported from abroad, are a horror!” said the clinic on the X portal.

“The biggest problem is the extreme explosive power of the ball bombs,” explained the spokeswoman. “This means the eye no longer has time to close the lid.”

As a result, serious injuries occur. According to Kijewski, a man who lost his eyesight due to injuries sustained in a bullet bomb is being treated in the trauma hospital. “A young man suffered a neck injury so severe that he almost lost his life.”