German beer festival temporarily shut down after explosives found in Munich building

The Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich, the world’s largest folk festival, was temporarily closed on October 1 until at least 5:00 PM (1500 GMT), following the discovery of explosives in a residential building in the northern part of the city.

According to police, the building caught fire in what has been described as a family dispute. One person was found dead at the scene, while another individual remains missing but is not believed to be in danger. Law enforcement authorities have stated that the building was deliberately set on fire, Reuters reports.

As part of a major police operation—initially said to pose no danger to the public—special forces were deployed to investigate the site. Reports from Bild and several other media outlets indicated that explosions and gunfire had been heard in the vicinity. Police later confirmed the presence of booby traps inside the building, which required specialized units to defuse.

“We are currently investigating all possibilities. Possible connections to other locations in Munich are being examined, including the Theresienwiese (where the Oktoberfest is located),” Munich police stated via the WhatsApp messaging service.

“For this reason, the opening of the festival grounds has been delayed,” they added.

A map released by authorities shows the location of both the residential building in northern Munich and the Theresienwiese festival site in the city center, highlighting the potential implications of the incident.

The Oktoberfest, which opened on September 20 and is scheduled to run until October 5, has announced on its official website that the grounds will remain closed until 5:00 PM on October 1 in connection with the explosion.

Investigations into the nature of the incident and its possible links to other locations in Munich remain ongoing.

By Vafa Guliyeva