At least one person has died and around 60 others were injured in Lima on Friday night, authorities said. The incident occurred in the south stands of the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium and appears to have been a crush of fans.
Supporters of Alianza Lima had gathered for a flag-waving event on the eve of their match against rivals Universitario. The crowd surge took place before the event had officially started; police said officers rescued several people who were trapped in the stands.
Alianza Lima issued a statement offering condolences and pledged full cooperation and transparency with investigators. Video broadcast on local TV showed large numbers of fans in the south stands, bursts of fireworks, and injured people remaining inside the stadium. Peru’s health minister said three of the injured were in critical condition.
Earlier reports from the health ministry said a wall had collapsed inside the stadium, but local police and Alianza Lima denied this. Fire brigadier Marcos Pajuelo confirmed one fatality but said the cause of death was still unknown. Lima officials added the flag-waving event did not have valid permits or the security guarantees required for such gatherings.
Alianza Lima president Fernando Cabada told local media that the club often holds flag-waving events, that nothing like this had occurred before, and that the gathering was a club event that did not require tickets.
Edited by: Karl Sexton