Explosion at German school leaves 10 children injured as five rushed to hospital

Explosion at German school leaves 10 children injured as five rushed to hospital Emergency services rushed to a secondary school in Oberhausen, Germany, where 10 children were injured after an explosion in a changing room Ten children have been injured from an explosion at a school in Germany. Emergency services rushed to the secondary school in the Osterfeld district of Oberhausen where the incident took place at around 9.40am this morning. Police said a group of pupils are reported to have thrown the firecracker into a changing room, where 12 fifth-grade students were inside. The explosion left 10 children injured, with five youngsters aged 10 and 11 taken to nearby hospitals as a precaution after complaining of headaches and earaches. Parents and guardians were told of the incident, with some heading straight to the school following the explosion. Police confirmed that all pupils believed to have been involved in the incident were identified at the scene. The ages of those suspected of throwing the firecracker have not been disclosed, while the school involved has not been publicly named. Criminal Investigation Department 12 has taken over the case, with enquiries continuing into the circumstances surrounding the explosion. The incident comes just four days after another firecracker exploded in the boys toilets at a school in Neuwied, Germany, on Friday. Several pupils suffered minor hearing-related injuries after the firecracker detonated during a school break, according to local reports. German media later reported that eight pupils had been injured in the explosion, with the children suffering acoustic trauma caused by the loud blast. Police were alerted to the incident and launched an investigation to establish exactly what had happened. However, officers said it remained unclear how the explosion occurred or who was responsible for setting off the firecracker. The school involved was not identified in the initial police report, while the ages of the injured pupils were not disclosed. Authorities also did not confirm whether any of the children required hospital treatment following the incident. The full statement from police on the Osterfeld incident read: "On Tuesday (November 3), the Oberhausen fire department and police were called to a secondary school in Osterfeld at approximately 9:40 a.m. According to initial findings, a group of students threw a firecracker into a sports changing room where twelve fifth-grade students were present. The explosion injured a total of ten children. "Five of the injured children, aged 10 and 11, were taken to nearby hospitals for further medical examination as a precaution due to headaches and earaches. "The parents/guardians were informed of the incident and some appeared at the school in person. All students who, according to current information, were involved in the incident were found at the scene. The responsible Criminal Investigation Department 12 has taken over the further investigation, which is ongoing."