Football fan (17) severely burned by lit flare in Brussels stadium accident

Football fan (17) severely burned by lit flare in Brussels stadium accident
The young Courtrai fan was standing in the visitors section of the Joseph Marien stadium. Credit: Wikmedia Commons.

A 17-year-old football fan sustained burn injuries on Wednesday evening after he collapsed and fell onto a lit flare before the kick-off of a football match in a stadium in Brussels.

Standing in the visitors' section of the Joseph Marien Stadium in Forest, home ground of the Royale Union Saint-Gilloise football club, the 17-year-old Courtrai fan collapsed reportedly as a result of an epileptic fit.

The boy fell onto a burning flare and sustained burns to his hand. His jacket also caught fire although the flames were quickly put out, Bruzz explains.

The young man immediately received first aid and was subsequently transferred to Molière Hospital in Forest and later to the Burn Centre in Neder-over-Heembeek.

Although the 17-year-old's injuries were not life-threatening, he sustained burns to his hand and forearm. He also dislocated his shoulder as he fell.

As part of further investigation into the incident, the police will view CCTV footage both to see exactly what happened, as well as to investigate how the lit flare got into the stadium in the first place.

Evie McCullough

The Brussels Times


Copyright © 2024 The Brussels Times. All Rights Reserved.