Revelry and Tragedy Abound as the World Welcomes 1994

Hundreds of thousands of French greeted 1994 by spraying champagne along the Champs Elysees, and U.S. and Vietnamese jazz musicians celebrated with a jam session in Hanoi. But the New Year’s jubilation also left plenty of casualties.

In Italy, a man was blown apart when fireworks stuffed in his pockets exploded. Two other Italians were shot to death during street celebrations.

Six people were killed in shootings and stabbings in the Philippines. A gunman in Belgium, complaining about loud music, opened fire in a dance hall, killing a young woman and wounding two men. A 91-year-old man in Berlin died in a fire in the final minutes of 1993.

In Colombia, at least 114 people died and more than 200 were wounded from New Year’s Eve through the first hours of 1994 in violent incidents, suicides and accidents in the nation’s three biggest cities. Police attributed the violence to excessive drinking by revelers.

New Year celebrations were more peaceful elsewhere.

Japan started the festivities with peals of bells at temples and shrines. And Japanese toasted the gods with sweet rice wine.

Even North Korea’s hard-line Marxist leaders unbent a little, staging what was called a “grand celebration” at a stadium.

American and Vietnamese jazz musicians greeted the new year with an old-fashioned jam session in Hanoi.

In Paris, hundreds of thousands of revelers--half a million, according to radio and newspaper estimates--flocked to a champagne-drenched celebration on the Champs Elysees. Revelers sang, toasted and swung from lamp posts.

The corks also popped in Spain, where thousands of Spaniards converged on Madrid carrying bottles of champagne and bunches of grapes, which were hurriedly consumed as bells tolled for midnight. Hours of drinking followed.

In London, police said 90,000 party-goers disregarded warnings to stay away from Trafalgar Square, where last year 100,000 gathered and 42 people were injured. Only three minor injuries were reported by police, who barred alcohol and fireworks from the square.

In Rio de Janeiro, at least 3 million people watched a display of 20 tons of fireworks over Copacabana Beach in what tourism officials billed as the world’s largest outdoor gathering in history.

In Manila, appeals from officials failed to stop Filipinos from greeting the New Year with fireworks and gunshots. Radio stations said six people died from stabbings and gunshot wounds and 31 were wounded.

More than 723 people have been treated for fireworks-related injuries.

In Liege, Belgium, a man armed with a rifle opened fire in a dance hall at 4 a.m. during a New Year’s party. A 19-year-old woman hit in the chest later died. Two other revelers were injured. Police arrested the man as he tried to flee.