Police in the German city of Munich announced that the Oktoberfest venue will reopen early Wednesday evening after being closed due to a potential bomb threat linked to a fire at a house in the northern part of the city.
The fire was reportedly started by a 57-year-old man, whose body was later discovered near a lake. He was believed to have been involved in a family dispute and was carrying a backpack that contained what appeared to be an explosive device.
A letter expressing a non-specific bomb threat regarding Oktoberfest was found, prompting police to shut down the annual beer festival for most of the day while searches were conducted.
Specialists with explosives and sniffer dogs conducted thorough investigations at the festival, which is held at Theresienwiese, a historic open space hosting Oktoberfest for over 200 years. The event is scheduled to run from September 20 until October 5 and has already welcomed over 3.5 million visitors.
In parallel, emergency operations were underway in Lerchenau, with authorities investigating any possible connections to the Oktoberfest site. Reports had indicated multiple explosions and damage to nearby vehicles.
Two individuals, the suspect's mother and daughter, sustained injuries during the incident and are receiving treatment in the hospital. Police confirmed that there are no current threats at other locations in Munich, ensuring the safety of festival-goers.
