It was the final yr earlier than an anticipated ban on unofficial fireworks, so the Dutch purchased them in huge portions.
Based on the Dutch Pyrotechnics Affiliation, revellers splashed out a report 129 million euros (US$151 million) on fireworks.
Some areas had been designated firework-free zones, however this appeared to have little impact.
An AFP journalist in such a zone in The Hague reported loud bangs till round 3am (10am, Singapore time).
In Belgium, in the meantime, police made scores of arrests as officers in each Brussels and Antwerp had been focused with fireworks – with a New Yr’s ban on their use failing to stop chaotic scenes in each main cities.
Police used tear gasoline and arrested greater than 100 individuals within the port metropolis of Antwerp, the place minors as younger as 10 or 11 focused officers and emergency providers with fireworks and stones, setting fireplace to bikes, automobiles and trash cans, a spokesperson advised AFP.
Authorities confiscated various “very harmful” skilled grade fireworks, the spokesperson mentioned. A 12-year-old youngster was critically injured in a fireworks incident within the northern metropolis.
Likewise within the capital Brussels, police mentioned they had been “repeatedly” focused with fireworks, making some 70 arrests in a single day.
In Germany, two 18-year-olds died within the western metropolis of Bielefeld after they set off home-made fireworks that produced “lethal facial accidents,” native police mentioned in a press release.
