Police: No new investigation into Meppel New Year's firework death

The police will not launch a new investigation into the death of Johan de Lange from Meppel. The 54-year-old man died in hospital three days after a firework exploded in his face over New Year's. According to the police, interviews with witnesses showed that De Lange lit the firework himself and was careless, AD reports.

De Lange sustained a head injury when a firework he lit himself exploded near his face. It seems that he lit the firework, stepped back and then went closer again when the firework did not go off. It exploded in his face. He died in hospital 3.5 days later.

What type of firework was involved is unclear. The police found no evidence that the firework was illegal, but can not rule the possibility out completely. They believe that the victim bought it from abroad. Another option is that it was a professional firework - a firework that is not illegal, but not suitable for individual consumers. Permits are needed for this type of fireworks.

The Dutch fireworks industry asked that the police do another investigation into De Lange's death. "We want to know whether it was legal or illegal fireworks. That is good for everyone to know. Especially if it was a legal firework. What happened? What went wrong? We want to know this to eventually update our information and regulations." Leo Groeneveld of Pyrotechnics Netherlands said to AD.

But the police deems another investigation unnecessary - De Lange's death was not caused by someone else and there is no evidence that any form of crime was committed.