Twenty-nine football fans were hurt during the football match, five of them seriously, when a barrier collapsed Saturday at a stadium in the northern French city of Amiens as away supporters celebrated their opening goal of the match.
A fence separating Lille fans from the arena gave way as they surged forward to celebrate the goal against Amiens, a regional rival that has just been promoted to the top flight in French football.
Several fall down about one and a half meters and were crushed by other fans who fell on top of them. Injuries included head, chest and abdominal trauma, medical authorities reveal.
Referee Thomas Leonard suspended the match in the 16th minute as Red Cross and emergency workers rushed to help the injured. The fixture was later abandoned.
"It happened all of a sudden. I don't even know who scored. It just suddenly fell on me. I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't see anything and then the emergency workers took me away," said GeorgesPenel, a 21-year-old Lille fan who suffered injuries to his leg and back during this incidence.
The prefecture of the Somme department gave a provisional toll of 29 hurt, five of them seriously. Among the injured were three minors, all in their teens, medical authorities said.
The incident happened when Lille's Fode Ballo-Toure ran towards the section of visiting fans after scoring the opening goal, prompting a surge that caused the barrier to give way.
It was Establish in 1999, the Stade de la Licorne ("Stadium of the Unicorn") is the smallest of the 20 French Ligue 1 clubs, with a capacity of only 12,000.
The venue boasts an eye-catching, futuristic design with a transparent roof, which is being renovated. The seats are also being progressively replaced under the $8.9-million scheme.
Also, read
This is world's first electric Hummer
Tips you can follow at Office when you are in stress
Hero MotoCorp wishes Indian team before FIFA U-17 World Cup
