SPANISH football is in mourning after a fan was killed by a falling floodlight.
Yesterday’s fifth-tier match between SD Lenense and Lealtad de Villaviciosa was suspended in the 80th minute after a floodlight fell onto the 3,000 capacity stadium.
Spectator Jose Manuel Fernandez Suarez, 66, tragically suffered fatal injuries, despite efforts to revive him.
Another supporter was hospitalised with a head injury, although there have been no further updates on their condition.
Two players, a doctor and nurse, that had been playing in the game rushed to try and help.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the 100ft tall floodlight suddenly ‘completely bent’ – causing a tragic crush.
SD Lenense have since confirmed that a full investigation will be launched into the incident.
Reports so far claim that in strong winds, an advertising board blew into the floodlight, causing damage that led to it falling.
@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}
Most read in Football
.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}
SD Lenense wrote of the victims on Twitter: “Everything else does not matter. Only them.”
They then added: “The sorrow that overwhelms us for the misfortune that has happened in our stadium is so great that we can do nothing but cry and mourn the personal damage caused by the accidental fall in a chain of a monopole and a lighting tower.
“Finally, we want to thank all those people and institutions that have showered us with messages of solidarity with Jose Manuel’s family, which is what really matters, and with our club.”
Lealtad de Villaviciosa tweeted: “Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the person who died in today’s match against Lenense C.F.”
The Asturias FA have since confirmed that there will be a minute of silence in memory of Jose Manuel at matches on February 19-20.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk