Oktoberfest, Munich’s popular beer festival, will remain closed for most of Wednesday following a security scare linked to a deadly explosion elsewhere in the city, local officials in the German city have said.
Police said the festival grounds will stay shut until at least 5pm (15:00 GMT) as investigators determine whether an explosion at a residential building in northern Munich was connected to Oktoberfest.
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The blast occurred in Munich’s Lerchenau district after a man planted explosives in his parents’ home, reported Germany’s Bild newspaper. One person at the scene was killed, and another is missing but not believed to be in danger. Special forces were deployed to defuse booby traps discovered inside the building, police said.
“We are currently investigating all possibilities. Possible connections to other locations in Munich are being examined, including the Theresienwiese [the Oktoberfest venue],” a Munich police statement, cited by the Reuters news agency, said. “For this reason, the opening of the festival grounds has been delayed.”
City officials confirmed on their official X account that search operations are ongoing at the festival grounds and instructed workers to leave the area.
Oktoberfest also confirmed on its website that it will remain closed until 5pm due to a “bomb threat” and said a decision on how to proceed will be made by Wednesday afternoon.
This year’s Oktoberfest began on September 20 and ends on October 5. The world’s largest beer festival usually attracts up to six million visitors.
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