At least one person was killed and 47 others were injured Friday evening during an incident inside Alejandro Villanueva Stadium in Lima, Peru’s health ministry said, as fans gathered ahead of a highly anticipated football derby.
Health Minister Juan Carlos Velasco confirmed the casualties, describing the event as “an unfortunate incident” but did not specify the cause.
“Forty-seven people were injured, and unfortunately, one person has died,” Velasco told local media.
Early reports suggested that part of the stadium structure had collapsed, but club officials later denied any structural failure.
Alianza Lima said in a statement posted on X that the incident was not related to “the collapse of walls or any structural deficiencies” within the venue.
Authorities reported that 39 of the injured were transported to hospitals across Lima, with three individuals listed in critical condition.
Fire chief Marcos Pajuello stated that an initial inspection found no visible damage to the south stands.
“The structure appeared to be in good condition, with no collapsed sections or debris falling into the affected area,” he said.
Despite the incident, the Peruvian Football League announced that the scheduled match between Alianza Lima and Universitario would proceed as planned on Saturday evening.
Officials have not yet released further details on the cause of the incident, and an investigation is ongoing.
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