A metal fan who was probably too lit to light the fire. Photo: DPA

Flaming toilets injure 8 at Wacken heavy metal festival

Published: 1 Aug 08 16:53 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20080801-13439.html

A heavy metal festival in Wacken, Germany got fired up on Friday, but not from the show. Unknown perpetrators set the portable toilets on fire.

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Authorities had to rescue 12 people sleeping in nearby tents, a police spokesperson said, adding that eight people were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

PHOTO GALLERY: Click here to view photos of the Wacken heavy metal festival.

Police believe the fire was arson and the festival organizers have set a €1,000 reward in exchange for the identity of the homegrown pyrotechnics artist.

Some 70,000 metalheads are rocking out to 70 hard rocking bands at the sold-out Wacken Open Air festival in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Iron Maiden is headlining the self-proclaimed world's largest metal festival, which invades the tiny town of just 1,900 each year.

DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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