Munich Oktoberfest reopens after bomb threat sparks day-long closure

Police in Munich have announced that the venue for the city’s renowned Oktoberfest will reopen in the evening of October 1 after being closed for much of the day due to a bomb threat linked to a fire at a house in northern Munich.

Authorities say the house was rigged with explosives, and a 57-year-old man is suspected of starting the fire amid a family dispute. His body was later found at a nearby lake, and police reported that he was carrying a backpack that appeared to contain an "explosive device," BBC reports.

Following the discovery of a letter from the suspect containing "a non-specific bomb threat relating to the Oktoberfest," officers shut down the festival, which takes place at the Theresienwiese, a sprawling open area that has hosted the event for over 200 years.

During the closure, teams of explosives experts and sniffer dogs conducted thorough searches of the site. Police later confirmed the investigation was complete and announced that the festival would reopen at 17:30 local time (15:30 GMT).

Oktoberfest, which runs from September 20 to October 5, has already drawn more than 3.5 million visitors this year and is recognized as the world’s largest folk and beer festival.

Meanwhile, a large-scale emergency response remains active in Lerchenau, a district in northern Munich. Police are investigating potential connections between the fire incident and other locations, including the Oktoberfest site.

Authorities were alerted to the fire early in the morning of  of October 1 after reports of explosions. Nearby cars were also set on fire, and special forces were deployed to defuse booby traps inside the house.

Police reported that the suspect’s 81-year-old mother and 21-year-old daughter, a German-Brazilian citizen, were injured and are currently hospitalized. Numerous emergency personnel continue to work on the scene.

"There are currently no indications that there is a danger at other locations in Munich," police stated.

By Vafa Guliyeva