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Spain's World Cup triumph marred by tragedy after 13-year-old dies during celebrations
A 13-year-old died and several others were injured as Spain's World Cup victory celebrations ended in tragedy in Ciudad Rodrigo.
A teenager died, and several people were injured during celebrations of Spain's victory in the World Cup after a fountain collapsed in the west of the country, local authorities and media said on Monday.
"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.
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.
Celebrations overshadowed by tragedy
The incident cast a sombre shadow over the nationwide celebrations that followed Spain’s victory in the World Cup final. Streets and public squares across the country had filled with supporters carrying flags, sounding horns and gathering around monuments and fountains after the final whistle.
In Ciudad Rodrigo, however, the celebrations quickly turned into an emergency as the structure gave way beneath the crowd. Rescue teams and medical personnel were dispatched to the scene after receiving multiple calls shortly after midnight.
Authorities did not immediately provide detailed information about the condition of all those injured or clarify how many people had been standing on the fountain when it collapsed. An investigation is expected to establish whether the structure had suffered damage before the celebrations or failed because of the number of people gathered on it.
The death of the 13-year-old prompted messages of grief from residents and local officials, with the municipality describing the incident as a devastating end to what had been intended as a night of collective celebration.
Spain’s victory had triggered emotional scenes across the country as supporters celebrated the national team’s return to the top of world football for the first time in 16 years. The triumph, however, was overshadowed in Ciudad Rodrigo by the loss of a young life and injuries suffered by several others during the post-match festivities.
