As South Africans were enjoying the Victory over Indian Cricket Team, and suddenly time changed everything for the South African’s as recently around 6 to 8 people were found dead and 50 people were heavily injured: including two people with multiple injuries, two with some serious head injuries and a baby who was reportedly mangled in the crowd.
According to some reports, around 6 to 8 people were found dead and 50 were found injured in a stampede on Monday night outside Olembe Stadium in Cameroon where a football match was going on.
#BreakingNews : Six people reportdly killd n mre thn 40 injurd n a #STAMPEDE incident inside #Cameroon #football stadium. #AFCON2021 match was going on. What a tragedy. 😭 #AFCON pic.twitter.com/igKBFfDXAV
— cheikaba h (@CheikabaH) January 25, 2022
The crash occurred when the crowd tried to enter the stadium through the southern entrance to watch the host nation play Comoros.
Due to covid-19 the stadium capacity has been limited to only 60% of the total stadium capacity, as only 60% of people were allowed to enter the stadium but as the Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions were playing the stadium capacity was increased from 60% to 80% and the total capacity of the stadium was around 60,000.
“Eight deaths were recorded, two women in their thirties, four men in their thirties, one child, one body taken away by the family,” according to a preliminary health ministry report obtained by AFP.
According to the ministry all the victims were “immediately transported” in ambulances, but the “heavy road traffic slowed down the transport” which led to the casualties.
This is the second serious blow that has happened in the space of a day, as at least 17 people died at a night club in Yaounde when a fire set off a series of explosions on Sunday.
Olembe Stadium is the main Stadium for the month long event and the Stadium has to host three more matches which also include the final which is scheduled on February 6.
Cameroon is hosting the African Cup for the very first time in around 50 years. The Central African nation was supposed to host the tournament back in 2019, but due to some reasons the event was taken away from them and was awarded to Egypt, as Cameroon`s was not able to participate in the event because of the readiness of the stadium.
The spokesperson of Africa Cup of Nations organizing committee, Abel Mbengue told the AFP: “There was a crush as can happen when there is a stampede. We are waiting for reliable information on the number of casualties in this tragic incident”.
