A stampede at a soccer stadium in the capital of El Salvador has left 12 dead and several others injured. The incident occurred as fans tried to enter the Cuscatlan Stadium to watch a match between teams Alianza and FAS.
The match was suspended as emergency personnel evacuated people from the stadium, where hundreds of police officers and soldiers gathered as ambulance sirens wailed, an AFP report read.
President Nayib Bukele described the event as “unprecedented”, and said an “exhaustive investigation” would be launched, BBC reported. “Everyone will be investigated: teams, managers, stadium, ticket office, league, federation, etc. Whoever the culprits are, they will not go unpunished,” Bukele twitter.
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According to officials, some fans had been sold fake tickets. Fans attempted to enter the stadium even after the gates had been closed.
Local television transmitted live images of the aftermath of the stampede by Alianza fans. Dozens made it onto the field where they received medical treatment. Fans who escaped the crush stood on the field furiously waving shirts attempting to review people lying on the grass barely moving.
El Salvador’s health minister, Francisco Alabi, tweeted that the government had deployed ambulances from nearby hospitals to the stadium.
About 100 people in serious condition were taken to hospital, some showed signs of asphyxia and other trauma.