• The Oktoberfest festival in Munich is closed until at least 5 PM after a deadly explosion and bomb threat.
• Police found explosives linked to a fire in a northern Munich residential building, resulting in one death.
• Authorities are investigating potential connections between the incident and the Oktoberfest site.

The Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich remains closed until at least 5 PM local time due to a bomb threat linked to a fatal fire in a residential building in the Lerchenau district. The incident left one individual dead and prompted a major police operation involving special forces to defuse explosives located within the building, according to SCMP and Reuters.

The fire reportedly resulted from a family dispute, with authorities confirming that the residential building was deliberately set ablaze and contained explosives, as well as booby traps that required deactivation by specialized teams. Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter indicated that investigations were underway to ascertain any links to other locations, including the Oktoberfest venue at Theresienwiese, as stated by BBC and ABC News.

Witnesses reported hearing loud bangs and seeing flames before the emergency response, which included evacuations around a 200-meter radius from the scene. Police are also looking into a letter linked to the deceased suspect that contained threats regarding the Oktoberfest, highlighting the seriousness of the situation as indicated by Al Jazeera and CBS News.

The festival, known as the world's largest beer festival, commenced on September 20 and is scheduled to conclude on October 5, attracting millions of visitors annually. Officials are conducting thorough searches of the festival grounds to ensure safety, and any update on reopening will depend on the results of investigations and security measures in place, as highlighted by Los Angeles Times and The Local.