A soccer stadium in Bekal, India, was the site of a harrowing stadium tragedy on Sunday.
Minutes before a game between Saban Kottakkal and Mohammadans Mouval kicked off at the Bekal Brothers Sports Club, a stadium stand collapsed, sending hundreds of fans hurtling to the ground, the Telegraph reports.
“Around 1,500 people are thought to have been been at the ground as the stand, which was reportedly made up of wooden planks and iron rods, collapsed,” the report says.
“Initial reports suggested heavy rain was the cause of the collapse, making the wood moist and leaving it unable to hold the weight of the spectators.”
More than 100 fans were injured in the collapse, and six were reportedly left in serious condition. The report adds that Bekal police could pursue a criminal case against the Bekal Brothers Sports Club.
The Bekal stadium collapse joins Sao Paulo’s Arena Corinthians in the ranks of soccer stadium disasters in 2013. While there were no fatalities at Bekal, it serves as a reminder of the importance of safety regulations and common sense in large-scale public gatherings. If circumstances were different, the Bekal collapse could have been a much bigger tragedy.
See the Bekal stadium collapse and the aftermath in the video below (starting at 2:45).
Click here for photos of the 10 deadliest soccer stadium tragedies>>
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