At least one person has died and dozens more were injured during an incident at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium in Lima, Peru, ahead of a football derby on Friday night, authorities confirmed.
Peru’s Health Minister, Juan Carlos Velasco, told the media that 47 people were injured in the incident, with 39 of them taken to hospitals across the Lima region, including three in critical condition. He did not provide details on the cause of the accident.
Initial reports suggested that part of a stadium wall had collapsed, but both the Alianza Lima football club and the local police later denied this. Alianza Lima stated on X that the accident was not caused by “the fall of walls or structural failures of the sports complex.” Fire Chief Marcos Pajuelo also confirmed that the southern stands appeared structurally sound, saying: “There are no collapsed walls or sections fallen into the pit.”
Videos aired by local television stations showed a large crowd of fans in the south stands, with fireworks going off nearby. Some footage appeared to show injured individuals seated in the stands, while photos depicted ambulances outside the stadium.
Police reported that fans had become trapped due to the influx of spectators in the south stands. Authorities assisted in rescuing those affected. The Ministry of Health later noted that a total of 60 people had been reported injured.
The Alianza Lima match against their rivals, Club Universitario de Deportes, is scheduled to go ahead on Saturday night, according to the Peruvian football league.
