Stadium collapse

A construction accident at a Dutch top division soccer stadium turned fatal Thursday after one of the workers trapped under the rubble of a collapsed roof in Enschede was found dead. At least 15 others were reported injured.

"A large part of the roof has collapsed. A substantial number of people got trapped and there is one dead victim as far as we know," said Peter den Oudsten, mayor of Enschede.

Police said the collapse was likely related to construction work that was under way at the stadium. Workers were the only people in the complex at the time of the accident.

"We were at the third level and we were frightened. There was noise, everyone was running everywhere. We were working below the floor. There was panic, everyone was running away. Then we looked if there were injured people," one construction worker told Dutch public broadcaster NOS.

'Enormous pressure'

At least two of the victims were suffering from serious injuries, said den Oudsten. Ten people were taken to a local hospital, while authorities continued their search for people still trapped under the rubble.

Enschede is located in the east of the Netherlands, near the German border. The stadium houses the FC Twente football club, the Dutch top division's runners-up last season and champions in 2009-10.

Seating at the stadium was being expanded from 26,000 to 30,000, a project which was scheduled to be completed by the start of the new season.

According to a regional newspaper, De Twentsche Courant Tubantia, construction workers who wished to remain anonymous said pressure to finish the job by the August 1 deadline had become "enormous."

Author: Gabriel Borrud (Reuters, AFP)
Editor: Martin Kuebler