Fire breaks out at Old Trafford following FA Cup clash; brought under control
What’s the story?
Firefighters were rushed to Manchester United’s home ground Old Trafford in the early hours of Monday morning after a fire broke out at the club’s South Stand. The Red Devils registered a 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic in the fourth round of the FA Cup less than 24 hours before this incident took place.
The fire crews were made aware of this incident two minutes before 7 am local time and a spokesperson has now revealed that the situation is under control.
"We were called at 6.58am to Sir Matt Busby Way. Three fire engines from Manchester, Salford and Stretford attended the scene,” a spokesman for the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service was quoted as saying by the Manchester Evening News.
"We have isolated the electrics and extinguished the fire using breathing apparatus and a CO2 fire extinguisher. We are still on the scene."
In case you didn’t know...
Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world, both financially and in terms of the amount of success they have achieved on the pitch. Just like any other top European club, security measures are one of the top priorities at Old Trafford.
In the final fixture of last season, there was a bomb scare at Old Trafford prior to the Red Devils’ last league fixture against AFC Bournemouth. The match was called off and rescheduled for a later date, only to find that the mobile device was a training device that was left behind after an exercise drill.
The 20-time English champions are the first sports club in England to appoint a full-time counter-terrorism manager.
The heart of the matter
The fire broke out in the lift motor room due to a faulty lift which caused the blaze that moved to the stands. The situation is believed to be under control and the fire crew members are still inspecting the stadium to eliminate any potential threat.
What’s next?
The fans who had plans of visiting Old Trafford are likely to be left disappointed if the inspection of the stadium continues for much longer. The priority here is to make sure the situation is brought under control and all fire threats are eliminated.
Sportskeeda’s Take
The issue is likely to raise a few questions among the top officials at the club. The club is extremely lucky the incident did not take place while fans were present at the stadium.