By Victor Kanayo
Seven months after a deadly stampede killed 135 spectators at a stadium in Indonesia’s East Java, another pitch disaster has occurred.
El Salvador’s Latest Stampede
This time around, 12 people have so far been confirmed dead and many injured after fans made efforts to gain entrance into the soccer stadium in El Salvador on Saturday, then a gate fell which caused many to scamper for safety, which led to the stampede.
The ugly incident which was reported on Sunday by the Central American country’s government occured in a local match between Alianza FC and Club Deportivo FAS were playing the second leg of their playoff quarter-final game.
However, the match was suspended after the stampede broke out in the general section.
Official Confirmation/Government Immediate Response
Confirming the incident, spokesman for the emergency services group Comandos de Salvamento Carlos Fuentes said they were treating more than 500 people.
“About 100 people in serious condition were taken to hospital, with some showing signs of asphyxia and other types of trauma,” Fuentes told AFP.
“The stampede apparently started after a stadium gate fell, causing people to crowd together.”
Reacting via his Twitter handle, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said the National Civil Police and the Attorney General’s Office would conduct a “thorough investigation” into the events at the stadium.
“Everyone will be investigated: teams, managers, stadium, box office, league, federation, etc. Whoever the culprits are, they will not go unpunished,” Bukele wrote on Twitter.
Infantino Commiserates
Commiserating with the football Federation and indeed the entire El Salvador, in a statement on Sunday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino offered his condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
