At Least 6 Dead, 200 Injured As Stands Collapse During Bullfight In Colombia

Six people were confirmed dead and over 200 injured when a section of a wooden stand collapsed at the venue of a bullfight in EL Espinal, central Colombia on Sunday. The disaster took place about 100 miles southwest of Bogota where spectators could be seen screaming and plunging to the ground as the wooden multi-level stands came crashing down.

According to ABC News, 10 individuals are reportedly in serious condition as local authorities are still looking into the incident. To date, it is still unclear as to what had caused the stadium stands to collapse. In a press conference held by Tolima Health Secretary Martha Palacios, more than 300 spectators sought medical treatment from local and public hospitals with casualties including an 18-month-old baby who had died from injuries.

Mayor Juan Carlos Tamayo said the stadium had over 800 spectators seated in the stands when it collapsed. Video footage of the accident captured hundreds of screaming spectators falling into the wreck leading government officials to call for the indefinite ban on the traditional bullfighting event locally referred to as the “corralejas”. Colombia’s new president-elect Gustavo Petro has asked local officials to no longer allow such events involving the death of people or animals, citing how this tragic occurrence was not a first.

Earlier on, Tolima Gov. Jose Ricardo Orozco asked for the suspension of this year’s bullfighting however, this fell on deaf ears and was held anyway. In recent years, the event has come into question with regard to the ethical aspects of the “show” at which the spectacle attracts hundreds of people from all over to watch the killing of a bull in its finale.

Although this practice has been a traditional display of drama, thrill and excitement in many Spanish cultures, a judge in Mexico has notably extended a ban on bullfighting. This decision comes after complaints poured in citing the event violated residents’ rights to a healthy environment free from violence.

Four states in Mexico have already imposed a ban on bullfighting with speculations that the move could put an end to a 500-year-old tradition not just in Mexico but throughout Spanish-speaking countries around the world.