Overview
- Police say a Breitenberg farm fire caused damage in the lower seven‑figure range, killed 25 hens and three rabbits, and remains under investigation after crime scene examinations on Christmas Day.
- A blaze at Dresden’s Kinder‑ und Jugendfarm “Spielwiese” drew about 135 firefighters and prompted smoke alerts, with operators reporting that all animals were saved.
- Separate residential fires left an 82‑year‑old dead in Thalheim and an 85‑year‑old dead in Landsberg, as criminal police units opened inquiries into the causes.
- Berlin formalized New Year fireworks and weapons restrictions with ban zones at Alexanderplatz, parts of Sonnenallee, Admiralbrücke, and around the Brandenburger Tor from Dec 31 evening to Jan 1 morning, while districts such as Friedrichshain‑Kreuzberg set tighter limits with fines up to €50,000.
- Customs and safety officials warn against non‑compliant pyrotechnics after more than seven tonnes were seized in 2024, and Berlin’s LKA is investigating a Staaken balcony fire after two teenagers were identified in connection with an alleged firework attack.