At Least One Dead, 37 Injured In Madagascar Stadium Stampede
Sumaira FH Published September 10, 2018 | 12:34 AM
Antananarivo, Sept 9 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Sep, 2018 ) :At least one person was killed and 37 injured in a stampede at a football stadium in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo, a hospital official said Sunday.
"In all, there are 41 patients that entered the hospital including one dead on the spot and two in fairly precarious states," Oliva Alison Rakoto, director of the Hrja Hospital, told AFP.
"The two critically injured patients have head and thoracic trauma." She said some of the injured have already been discharged.
The stampede occurred at the entrance to the venue just before kickoff between Madagascar and Senegal.
Witnesses said thousands of fans had been waiting outside Mahamasina Stadium since early in the morning, well ahead of the 2:30 pm (1130 GMT) kickoff.
At the hospital, 30-year-old Henintsoa Mialy Harizafy told AFP her uncle had left home around 8:00 am to attend the 2019 Cup of Nations qualifying match. "We heard he was hospitalised here after being trampled in the stampede." She added: "I don't understand why only one entrance gate was open for such a big match." Another fan, rivo Raberisaona, said his group had joined the queue at 6:00 am. "We were a metre and a half (five feet) from the entrance when the stampede happened. I was trampled in the back, but my rucksack softened the blow." Despite the crush, the match began on time with 20,000 spectators attending.
- Match on tv in waiting room - Families in the waiting room of the Hjra hospital watched the game on television and could be heard bursting with joy when the Malagasy national team scored a goal and was able to equalise.
The history of African football is marked by frequent deadly crowd stampedes.
In July 2017, eight people were killed when rival supporters clashed during Senegal's League Cup final, and a stampede caused a wall to fall on escaping fans.
In February 2017, 17 people were killed and 58 injured in Angola near the northern town of Uige ahead of a season-opening match for the national championship.
The scramble came after police used tear gas to clear the area surrounding the stadium.
In 2009, 19 people died in the Ivorian economic capital Abidjan after a crush in a qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup between Ivory Coast and Malawi.
Europe has seen even deadlier stadium disasters. In 1985, a wall collapsed at Heysel Stadium in Brussels before the European Cup final between Juventus and Liverpool, killing 39 people.
Four years later a crush at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, northern England, led to the deaths of 96 Liverpool supporters before an FA Cup semi-final between the club and Nottingham Forest.
Those two disasters led to widespread changes in stadium design in England and across Europe.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
SC forms six-member bench to IHC judges'letters
PM to take part in World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh today
Punjab Police officer Riffat Bukhari wins global award
Punjab Police Hero ASP Shehbano Naqvi’s wedding festivities spark joy
TECNO CAMON 30 Series set to launch at a grand fashion show in Karachi
Record growth being witnessed in IT exports due to SIFC’s efforts
Pakistan, Canada agree to enhance cooperation in all fields
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 27 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 27 April 2024
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
More Stories From World
-
Estanguet emotional as Olympic torch sets sail for France
6 minutes ago -
Italy summons Russian envoy over Ariston subsidiary takeover
6 minutes ago -
Benin police fire tear gas to break up union protest
1 hour ago -
Estanguet emotional as Olympic torch sets sail for France
1 hour ago -
Olympic torch begins its voyage to France
2 hours ago -
Haliburton hits winner as Pacers hold off Bucks, T'Wolves push Suns to brink
2 hours ago
-
Star K-pop producer causes online stir after lashing out at industry bosses
2 hours ago -
Kenyan patients suffer as doctors' strike grinds on
2 hours ago -
China to send 2 giant pandas to U.S.
3 hours ago -
China's industrial profits up 4.3 pct in Q1
3 hours ago -
5.9-magnitude quake hits Mid-Indian Ridge: USGS
3 hours ago -
Canada announces investment to grow semiconductor supply chain
3 hours ago