Teen Dies, Several Injured During World Cup Celebration In Spanish City

A 13-year-old is reportedly dead and two people injured after​a fountain partially collapsed in ‌western Spain in the early hours on Monday, marring mass celebrations of the country’s ​second-ever soccer World Cup victory, emergency ​services said.

The accident occurred shortly after ⁠midnight in Ciudad Rodrigo, a ​walled medieval city of about 12,000 ​in Salamanca province, near the border with Portugal.

“The city hall of Ciudad Rodrigo expresses its sadness and presents its condolences for the death of a boy of 13,” the municipality said on a Facebook post.

“What should have been a celebration of Spain’s team in the football World Cup turned into tragedy,” it said, adding that several others were injured.

“A few minutes after 12:30 am local time, rescue services received calls over a fountain collapsing on numerous people,” emergency services said in a post on X, adding that another youth had been injured.

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Local media reported that the fountain collapsed under the weight of numerous people who had climbed onto it to celebrate Spain’s first World Cup victory since 2010 in the football-mad nation.

Spain’s victory sparked nationwide celebrations as thousands of fans poured into city squares, streets and public landmarks to mark the country’s first FIFA World Cup triumph since 2010.

Similar scenes of jubilation were reported across several Spanish cities, with supporters waving flags, singing and climbing monuments and public structures.

However, large, spontaneous celebrations have occasionally led to accidents and injuries, prompting authorities to repeatedly urge fans to celebrate responsibly and avoid climbing on public infrastructure.

AFP