A fire broke out at a major soccer stadium, forcing the entire venue to be evacuated. The pitch and the Swedish national team’s stadium were filled with smoke as AIK welcomed Djurgårdens to the 50,000-capacity Strawberry Arena in Stockholm. It was an action-packed start to the Allsvenskan League, with the away team leading 2-1.
However, with 25 minutes remaining, a fire broke out in the stands and the players were ordered to leave the pitch, and the referee called off the match. The cause of the fire is unknown, but it is believed it may have been caused by an underground flare. Television cameras captured dramatic scenes of supporters leaving the area as flames raged.
Thick smoke billowing from the fire across the pitch could be seen in impressive footage and images shared on social media.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and deployed hoses to extinguish the fire. AIK security chief Henrik Koch confirmed that the fire was extinguished without anyone being injured.
“There were no injuries and the fire was extinguished,” Koch said.
The match then resumed, and Djurgardens added a third goal in first-half stoppage time, ending the match 4-2.
In the second half, more smoke bombs were set off by the home fans, again risking evacuation, and the players were removed from the pitch for another emergency meeting, causing a second delay.
Match agent Hans Larsson told TV4: “Due to the second incident that occurred in the first minute of the second half, we held a match meeting.
“There was a piece that stuck out, so the game should have been played according to the regulations.It was a pretty effective game.
“We have been given the green light by the police and organizers. They are controlling the situation.”
The stadium, formerly known as Friends Arena, has been home to the Swedish national team since it opened in 2012.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored four goals in a 4-2 win over England in their first match on home soil that year.
