Five fans fall through collapsed floor at Norway top-flight match
A structural failure in the away stand at Tromso's stadium injured multiple spectators during a rain-soaked Eliteserien fixture against Bodo/Glimt.
By Larissa Bell ·
Five football supporters fell through a broken floor panel in Norway on Sunday, with one individual requiring hospital treatment after the incident at Tromso's stadium. The structural failure occurred during a top division match against Bodo/Glimt, sending spectators tumbling into the space beneath the away stand.
The collapse happened shortly before the halftime break while Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin signaled the referee to the problem. The away section was standing in heavy rain at the time of the accident. Tromso confirmed in a statement that a serious incident had occurred in the away stand, noting that preliminary information indicated a person had fallen and was injured. The club did not provide specific details regarding the severity of the injuries.
Simen Pedersen, a press officer for Bodo/Glimt, told Reuters that up to five people fell through the stands, with one being transported to a hospital. The immediate aftermath saw Bodo/Glimt fans instructed to vacate the compromised section. Tromso supporters were subsequently asked to clear space in other areas of the ground to accommodate the displaced traveling fans, according to reports from the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang.
Andrine Moen, a witness and Bodo/Glimt supporter, described the sudden nature of the failure to Verdens Gang. She stated that the group was bouncing to a supporter song when the floor cracked in two directly in front of them. Moen noted that the full extent of the damage was not immediately apparent to those nearby. She estimated that at least two people fell, but observers were unsure of the depth of the drop or the total number of affected individuals.
The match paused while the Norwegian Football Federation, police, and representatives from both clubs consulted on how to proceed. After the away fans were relocated, play resumed. Bodo/Glimt's Ola Brynhildsen scored two goals in the latter stages of the game. The victory secured the top position in the Eliteserien table for Bodo/Glimt, placing them ahead of Viking Stavanger on goal difference.
