AN ITALIAN football match was delayed due to a fire in the dressing room.
The top-flight Serie A clash between Empoli and Lecce was due to kick off at 6.30pm local time.
However, it was pushed back by an hour after a short circuit caused a small blaze in the home changing room.
Video footage of a fire engine outside the stadium and firefighters going on circulated on social media.
Both sets of players and coaches were evacuated to safety as the emergency services got the fire under control.
However, the fact that the fire was electrical meant a full investigation was required before they get the green light to allow thousands of people into the 16,800-capacity Stadio Carlo Castellani.
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Empoli stars raised the alarm when they could smell burning in the dressing room an hour before kick-off.
DAZN report they noticed it was coming from the panels in the ceiling and was spreading quickly.
The media only became aware of a problem when Empoli player Tommaso Baldanzi used the toilet in the press area.
And with 20 minutes to go before the original scheduled start time, visiting Lecce players including Samuel Umtiti strolled around on the pitch in flip-flops and trainers rather than their boots.
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Empoli and Lecce went into the game knowing a win for either side would mean a huge step towards Serie A survival with ten games to go.
The hosts were 14th on 28 points with Lecce just two places and a point behind.
And it was Empoli who secured a vital three points when the game finally got under way, through Francesco Caputo’s second-half penalty.
They are now 12 points above the relegation zone with ten games to go.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
