Lima: At least one person has died and 47 others were injured after an incident at a football stadium in Lima ahead of a major local derby, authorities said on Saturday.
The incident happened outside the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium as large crowds gathered for a highly anticipated match between Alianza Lima and Universitario de Deportes.
Officials said the cause of the incident is still under investigation. Early reports had suggested a possible structural failure, but fire authorities later confirmed that no part of the stadium had collapsed. This has led investigators to consider the possibility of a crowd surge or panic among fans.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and transported many of the injured to nearby hospitals. Health officials said several people remain in serious condition.
Despite the tragedy, organisers indicated that the match was expected to proceed as scheduled, though the decision has raised concerns among some fans and observers.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine what exactly led to the incident and whether safety measures were adequate. The tragedy has once again drawn attention to crowd control and safety at major sporting events in Peru.
Further updates are expected as officials continue their inquiry.