Eight football fans have been confirmed dead by the Cameroonian authorities, with seven more injured, following a stampede outside the Olembe Stadium during Cameroon’s 2-1 win over Comoros on Monday, 24th January 2022.
The death toll increased to 8 following the confirmation of the death of two more fans outside the Messassi Hospital, where injured fans had been rushed to. But due to being overwhelmed, the hospital couldn’t handle all the injured fans
A total of 38 people were hurt in the stampede, which happened Monday night at the Olembe Stadium in the Cameroon capital of Yaounde. The injured are now being treated at four different hospitals, Communication Minister René Sadi said.
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The stampede occurred as fans struggled to get into the Olembe stadium to watch Cameroon’s team play Comoros in a highly-anticipated Round of 16 game at the ongoing AFCON.
The tragedy may have been connected to fans trying to avoid COVID-19 checks to watch the game. Local organizers have made it compulsory that fans show proof of negative virus tests and be vaccinated against COVID-19 if they want to attend games at the African Cup. They need to go through sanitary checks as well as security checks at stadiums.
Local TV stations broadcast footage showing people jumping over the security fences at the stadium, while there are reports that police were overwhelmed.
The Cameroon government said 57,000 people were at the stadium for the game when the crowd was meant to be restricted to a maximum of 40,000 because of the virus. The Olembe stadium has a capacity of 60,000.
A witness said the stampede at the south entrance of the stadium happened after supporters were directed by security officials toward an entrance gate that was locked. The gate was eventually opened, the witness said, causing a surge and people were trampled. Children were caught up in the stampede, the witness said.
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“When the security guys finally began opening the gates, with all the anxiety and after having been locked out … people pushed the security guys away and forced themselves inside,” said the witness, Marie Asongafack. “That’s where it all began … By the time I found myself in front, there were people on the ground being trampled on.”
Medical help wasn’t immediately available, “so people were just trying their basic first aid on victims,” Asongafack said. “I saw a child less than 10 years old, lifeless. Guys were trying to revive him.”
Cameroon President Paul Biya ordered an investigation into the tragedy, which came a day after at least 17 people died after a fire set off a series of explosions at a nightclub in Yaounde.
