Dutch police confirm stadium collapse
Police in Enschede have confirmed that part of a stand has collapsed at FC Twente’s De Grolsch Veste stadium and that officers are working to free people trapped underneath.
Pictures appear to show part of the roof at one end of the Grolsch Veste, which is undergoing a major redevelopment, has come down and initial reports suggest there may be casualties.
A spokesman for the Twente regional police force told Press Association Sport: “We do not have many details at the moment, the only thing we can say is that we have quite a big situation. Part of the tribune has collapsed, so we have some people beneath it and we have got some people (police officers) there at the moment.
“We can’t say any more about what is going on because we have had no contact from our people from our station who are there at the moment.”
The work was being carried out as part of the club’s development of their stadium to a 32,000-seat arena. The capacity was just 13,500 when the Enschede side moved to the venue in 1998.
The roof is reported to have collapsed after two support beams buckled, although the reason why this happened is not yet known.
Emergency services have arrived to deal with the casualties, with at least five people reportedly injured – and the stadium has been evacuated.
Pictures taken from outside the ground, which lies to the north-west of the centre of the town of Enschede, show a large section of the roof has collapsed.
The structure has fallen onto a bank of red seats already in place behind the goal.
Elsewhere, twisted metal lay hanging over the edge of the corner of the stand, with a building site below.
Chairman Joop Munsterman is thought to have left the team's pre-season training camp in Zeeland and is returning to Enschede.
Coach Co Adriaanse has cancelled all press activity until further notice.
