Fans fall as a barrier collapses following the goal by Lille LOSC's Fode Ballo-Toure during their French Ligue 1 match against Amiens, at the Licorne stadium in Amiens, on September 30, 2017 Fans fall as a barrier collapses following the goal by Lille LOSC's Fode Ballo-Toure during their French Ligue 1 match against Amiens, at the Licorne stadium in Amiens, on September 30, 2017 (AFP Photo/FRANCOIS LO PRESTI)

Amiens (France) (AFP) - Twenty-nine fans were hurt, five of them seriously, when a barrier collapsed Saturday at a stadium in the northern French city of Amiens as away supporters celebrated their opening goal.

A fence separating Lille fans from the pitch gave way as they surged forward to celebrate the goal against Amiens, a regional rival that has just been promoted to the top flight in French football.

Several tumbled about one and a half metres (five feet) and were crushed by other fans who fell on top of them. Injuries included head, chest and abdominal trauma, medical authorities said.

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Referee Thomas Leonard suspended the match in the 16th minute as Red Cross and emergency workers rushed to help the injured. The fixture was later abandoned.

"It happened all of a sudden. I don't even know who scored. It just suddenly fell on me. I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't see anything and then the emergency workers took me away," said Georges Penel, a 21-year-old Lille fan who suffered injuries to his leg and back.

The prefecture of the Somme department gave a provisional toll of 29 hurt, five of them seriously. Among the injured were three minors, all in their teens, medical authorities said.

The incident happened when Lille's Fode Ballo-Toure ran towards the section of visiting fans after scoring the opening goal, prompting a surge that caused the barrier to give way.

Built in 1999, the Stade de la Licorne ("Stadium of the Unicorn") is the smallest of the 20 French Ligue 1 clubs, with a capacity of only 12,000.

Renovation work is taking place throughout the 2017-18 season, as newly promoted Amiens brings the ground up to a higher standard.

- 'Hardcore fans' -

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The venue boasts an eye-catching, futuristic design with a transparent roof, which is being renovated. The seats are also being progressively replaced under the 7.5-million-euro ($8.9-million) scheme.

"The work is going to start in June and will be done stand by stand," local politician Alain Gest said last May.

"The consequence is that we're going to lose seats in the ground but we'll make up for it by adding additional temporary stands."

The Amiens public prosecutor, Alexandre de Bosschere, said an investigation had been opened into "accidental injury", focusing on why the barrier gave way.

"We have put legal seals on the site (to bar access to it), and an assessment will be carried out in the next few days."

Amiens' president, Bernard Joannin, dismissed any idea that there were problems with the barrier.

"The police had warned us that there were 200 hardcore fans, really wound up, who were in the section set aside for Lille fans. They surged forward, chaotically, more than 500 people, against this barrier, which was in perfect condition."

Gest, in his comments in May, had suggested that upkeep of the stadium had been neglected by previous local administrations but was now "perfectly in line with regulations" and "up to standards for playing in Ligue 1".

A safety audit in 2016 had noted that the stadium roof presented "serious dangers", he said.

"This forced us to dismantle at the beginning of the year all the (roof) glass -- almost 2,000 glass plates per stand."

The official said the plates had to be replaced by "a rigid and transparent plastic material like those used at the stadiums of Le Havre and Nice".</s>At least 20 people have been injured after a barrier collapsed during a football match in France.

As Lille supporters celebrated a goal by Fode Ballo-Toure's In the 15th minute of the match in the 12,000-capacity Stade de la Licorne stadium in Amiens, the barrier in front of the away stand collapsed sending the football fans plummeting several feet onto the pitch level.

Football fans posted horrifying images and mobile phone video footage capturing the scene as people scrambled over one another in a bid to escape the crush. Lille fans in the stand above them tried to pull people to safety.

The match was stopped by the referee as emergency services rushed onto the pitch to attend to the injured, some of whom were carried away on stretchers.

Many of the victims suffered leg and rib injuries, while four people are reportedly in a serious condition according to Sky News.

Lille tweeted a message to the injured fans from their official Twitter account saying: "We give them all our support."

Amiens wrote on its official club Twitter page: "All of our hearts are with the injured. We hope it's not too serious."

French footballer Toifilou Maoulida, who plays for Tours FC, also sent a message of support, writing on Twitter in French: "Sadness. Courage to the injured Lille supporters."

As the stadium was evacuated, match delegate, Noel Mannino, said the game would be abandoned. "In light of the events, and given the fact that about 20 were injured, three of them seriously, it has been decided that the game would not resume."</s>Amiens’ Ligue 1 clash with Lille was abandoned after a stadium barrier collapsed, seriously injuring three supporters.

Emergency services confirmed three serious injuries and 20 casualties in total at Amiens’ Stade de la Licorne, according to reports in France.

A barrier at the front of the stand housing away supporters collapsed as fans celebrated a goal by Lille’s Fode Ballo Toure, just 15 minutes into Saturday night’s league encounter.

After a lengthy delay the match was abandoned, as emergency services personnel tended to the injured supporters.

“The incident assessment reported 20 injured, of which three were transported to hospital,” Lille confirmed through their official club twitter account.

When the Lille supporters surged to the front of the stand to celebrate their goal, the barrier at ground level collapsed, causing a crush and many to lose their footing.

Referee Thomas Leonard immediately halted proceedings and sent the two teams back to the changing rooms, as the emergency services started to tend to the injured.</s>At least 25 people have been hurt, four of them seriously, after a barrier collapsed at a football stadium in France.

The incident happened at the Licorne stadium during a Ligue 1 match between Amiens and Lille at Stade de la Licorne.

A stadium barrier collapsed in the away section as spectators visiting from Lille celebrated the opening goal of the match by Fode Ballo-Toure.

The celebrations caused a fence separating the fans from the pitch to crumble under their weight.

Dozens of fans tumbled down on to the side of the pitch, crushed by fellow supporters, with police and medical staff quickly arriving to tend to the injured.

The game was suspended in the 16th minute and later abandoned.

Match delegate Noel Mannino said: In light of the events… it has been decided that the game would not resume.

Officials have said the lives of the four people who were seriously injured are not in danger.

On Twitter, Amiens football club said its thoughts were with the wounded and that the stadium had been evacuated peacefully.

Stade de la Licorne was built in 1999. Able to accommodate 12,000 fans, it is the smallest stadium in Ligue 1.

The grounds are undergoing extensive renovation work during the 2017/18 season. One stand is closed for refurbishment, and repairs are also being carried out on the stadium’s roof.

Alain Gest, a local politician, has suggested the stadium was not sufficiently maintained in the past – with a safety audit in 2016 concluding that the building presented serious dangers.

(c) Sky News 2017: At least 25 hurt as football stadium barrier collapses in Amiens</s>Five fans were seriously injured when a barrier collapsed at the front of a stand during a French top-flight match.

At least 29 people were hurt in the incident, which occurred in the 16th minute of Amiens’ Ligue 1 match with Lille at the Stade de la Licorne.

A barrier in front of the away section buckled as fans celebrated Fode Ballo-Toure’s goal, and dozens fell about one and a half metres onto the pitch.

The match was abandoned and the stadium evacuated after a security meeting.

The local prosecutor said he had opened an investigation into the incident.

Amiens v Lille is seen a derby, with about 98km (61 miles) separating the two sides.

Amiens are competing in the French top flight for the first time in their 116-year history. Their 12,000-capacity Stade de la Licorne is the smallest of the 20 Ligue 1 clubs.

Club president Bernard Joannin had blamed Lille’s supporters for the incident and said: “Police had warned us that 200 highly agitated ultras were in the section of the stadium allocated to Lille supporters.”

Lille chief executive Marc Ingla responded on Twitter saying: “The statement from Amiens’ president is irresponsible and inflammatory in the context of this situation.

“We hope the LFP (Ligue de Football Professionnel) identifies those responsible. Our supporters are impeccable and professional football needs to be better organised.

“The club has the right to ask questions about the security arrangements and conditions imposed on our supporters at Amiens’ stadium.”

The LFP, which runs the top two divisions in France, said the decision to stop the match was taken after an emergency meeting involving the league’s match delegate, the presidents of the two clubs and the chief of police.

The league also “expressed solidarity” with the victims and their families of the tragedy.

In a statement, the French Football Federation’s president, Noel Le Graet, said it would wait for a final report from authorities on the incident and that “caring for the victims is the absolute priority before attempting to shed light on the circumstances of this accident”.

Amiens said in a statement: “Amiens and its leadership wants to express its solidarity with the injured Lille supports and their family and assure that their health is more important than anything else.”</s>PARIS: During a Ligue 1 clash between Amiens' and Lille a stadium barrier collapsed, seriously injuring 29 supporters, five of them were critical.

According to details, the incident occurred when fans celebrated a goal by Lille's Fode Ballo Toure, after the incidents the match was abandoned as emergency services have confirmed five serious injuries and 29 casualties in total at Amiens' Stade de la Licorne.

As video shows a barrier at the front of the stand housing away supporters collapsed while fans were celebrating a goal by Lille's Fode Ballo Toure, just 15 minutes into Saturday night's league encounter.

After a lengthy delay the match was abandoned, as emergency services personnel tended to the injured supporters.</s>A barrier collapsed in a stadium during a soccer game in Northern France, leaving at least 25 fans with injuries.

The barrier collapsed during the first goal of the game as fans were cheering with excitement. Fans of the team from Lille were celebrating the goal when they fell through the fence in front of the grandstand at the stadium.

Authorities say, at least four fans have been seriously hurt and the rest of the injuries are non life-threatening.

The collapse postponed the match and it was eventually canceled.</s>Several fans have been injured after an incident at the Stade de la Licorne in Amiens on Saturday

The Ligue 1 fixture between Amiens and Lille was abandoned early in the first half after a barrier collapsed in the away section of the Stade de la Licorne.

The incident occurred 15 minutes into the game after Fode Ballo-Toure had put Marcelo Bielsa's side ahead at the same end of the ground where the visiting supporters were situated.

While Lille celebrated the goal a section of the stadium gave way, resulting in a number of their fans falling forwards.

Officials stopped play while paramedics attended those hurt, with Amiens later tweeting that the match had been abandoned.

French emergency services later reported 18 people had been hurt, three seriously.</s>AMIENS, France — Four Lille supporters were seriously injured and taken to hospital after a barrier collapsed during the side's football match at Amiens on Saturday.

Somme prefect Philippe De Mester said "their life is not in danger" as he confirmed the injury toll had risen to 25.

"We are thinking strongly and primarily of our supporters," Lille CEO Marc Ingla wrote in a series of tweets. "Lille has the right to examine the security conditions offered to our supporters by Amiens and its stadium. Lille hopes that those responsible for this accident are swiftly identified, for the club's supporters and the victims. And so that this never happens again."

Fode Ballo-Toure had just struck the opening score of the French league match in the 15th minute when he ran over to a section of Lille fans behind the goal to celebrate. As fans surged forward, the fence collapsed under their weight. Fans tumbled onto the pitch and the match was immediately halted.

Most were able to get back into the stand, but several remained on the ground and were treated for injuries.

After more than half an hour the match was abandoned.

Amiens' Stade de la Licorne is being refurbished but De Mester insisted the painting and roofing work had nothing to do with the collapse.

He added there was a security inspection of the venue before the game.

"Football should be a celebration and the police had warned us that 200 very worked-up ultras were in the stand reserved for Lille fans," Amiens president Bernard Joanni said. "And they threw themselves in a disorderly fashion — more than 500 people — onto this barrier which was in a perfect state ... imagine 500 people trying to get on the pitch. The league officials need to strongly think about travelling fans."</s>A top-flight French football match has been halter after a barrier collapsed, causing a number of fans to fall to the floor.

Injured fans have been rushed away from the 12,000-capacity Stade de la Licorne stadium in Amiens by ambulance.

It is unknown whether the match between Amiens and Lille will continue.
A crowd surge collapses a barrier during a soccer match at Stade de la Licorne in Amiens, France, injuring twenty-nine people, five of them seriously.