New reports by Pulse Nigeria claims that there was a first “warning”
before viewers at the Calabar viewing center were electrocuted to death.
Though, the number of casualties still quite sketchy, as several
tabloids reports about 30 persons lost their life. Contrary to this
number, the Cross River State Police Command are insisting that only
seven people died.
An eyewitness who spoke to Pulse claims that the high tension cable
first fell on top of the viewing center.. which saw all the viewers rush
outside.. but nothing happened..
Some fans, however, went back inside to complete the game before the
second incident happened that killed and injured several people.
The viewing centre in Calabar where fans were electrocuted on Thursday (Dian Abasi/BJO/NAN)
“I was watching a
match between Man United and Anderlecht around 8 in the evening and
while we are still watching the match we had a sign that the high
tension and electricity were sparking and one of the cables fell on top
of the roof of the viewing centre,” an unnamed witness told Pulse Sport.“People rushed out for their dear lives and that first instance there
was no casualty. I was the person that leave the viewing centre last.“Along the line, the people who were watching the match demanded that
the generator should be on for them to complete their match and the
owner of the viewing centre did the same.
“People going back again into the view centre and around 15 minutes
or 10 minutes thereabout, NEPA restored the light again, as NEPA
restored the light again, compacting with the generator and the high
tension on top of the roof, the thing got sparked again and people
rushed again to save their lives along the line they were trapped at the
door post by the NEPA light.”“About 30 people have been confirmed dead, though it is yet to be
confirmed by the various hospitals that those people were rushed to,”
another witness told Pulse Sport.“About 30 people have been confirmed dead, though it is yet to be
confirmed by the various hospitals that those people were rushed to,”
another witness told Pulse Sport.
From the football world, Manchester United, FIFA and the Nigeria
Football Federation have all sent condolences messages to the families
of the victims