Charley,
How come those anarchist troublemakers get a harsher treatment than soccer hooligans??
Hooligans blamed for fatal train fire
Associated Press
SALERNO, Italy -- A fire reportedly set by soccer hooligans killed four people Monday on a special train taking fans home after their team's final match of the season.
At least nine people, including two police officers, were treated for burns, carbon dioxide poisoning or broken bones at San Leonardo hospital.
Sports and government officials responded by demanding either increased security or a ban on transportation to soccer teams' away matches.
''We must completely discourage 'sports tourism.' I am convinced there are other ways to follow one's team,'' Italian Olympic Committee President Gianni Petrucci said.
Some 1,100 fans took the train home Sunday after watching their team, Salernitana, play to a 1-1 tie in a Serie A match at Piacenza, 250 miles north of Rome. The result meant Salernitana would be sent back down to Serie B after one year in the top division.
The match was marred by clashes between hooligans from Salerno and police inside and outside the stadium.
The chaos continued on the train, which left Sunday night for the 460-mile trek to Salerno on Italy's Amalfi coast.
Hooligans threw rocks through windows and tossed firecrackers and flares onto station
platforms along the route.
A group of unruly fans caused the fire by pulling an emergency brake before setting off a
smoke bomb as the train moved through a 6-mile tunnel near Salerno, the state-run railway
said.
Flames consumed one of the train's 13 cars, killing four Italian men between the ages of 15
and 23.
Transportation Minister Tiziano Treu announced he will convene a summit Thursday with the
justice and interior ministers, along with railway and soccer officials.
Last weekend, supporters of Roman club Lazio set fire to a carriage as they arrived at a train
station in Florence hours before a game. There were no serious injuries.
In November, an explosive device was thrown on the field at Salerno's stadium, injuring an
assistant referee.
During the 1998-99 season, 900 people were hurt in Italy in soccer-related incidents,
according to the Center for Studies of Public Safety. The Italian organization said 75 people
were arrested and 2,000 hooligans were identified and banned from attending sports events.
''The only way to respect the memory of those who lost their lives is to do everything
possible to come up with laws and actions that will prevent such tragic events,'' Italian
Soccer League President Franco Carraro said.
polkonline.com |
