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At Least 7 Killed in Crush in Congo Stadium
Panicked crowds crushed at least seven people to death Sunday when police fired tear gas to quell unruly fans at a match between two of Congo(K.)'s top soccer teams.
Another 51 people were injured, said Information Minister Kikaya Bin Karubi, who called it Congo's "worst football disaster in memory."
It was Africa's second soccer disaster this month. On April 11, a crowd stampede killed 43 people at a stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Sunday's disaster occurred at a match between southern Congo's top teams, Lupopo and Mazembe, at a packed stadium in the southern city of Lubumbashi.
Fans started throwing bottles when Mazembe tied the game at 1-1, with just 10 minutes to go in the match. Witnesses said police responded by firing tear gas, prompting the stampede as crowds of people knocked over barriers in the stands, rushing to escape the gas.
"This is the fault of the police. They shouldn't have fired tear gas at the people," said Mbala Musau, 28, who saw his father killed in the crush.
After the stampede, scores of injured and dead were laid out on the soccer field.
Karubi said seven people were killed, but a doctor at Lubumbashi's morgue, who refused to give his name, put the number at 10.
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