[World Cup] Stadium stairs wobble under fans’ weight

Published : Jun 18, 2014 - 20:44 Updated : Jun 19, 2014 - 09:36

Video of a staircase most people use to get to and from Rio’s famed Maracana stadium shows the structure built atop scaffolding wobbling under the weight of fans who attended the World Cup game between Argentina and Bosnia over the weekend.

Fans of various nationalities said Tuesday that they were scared it might come crashing down.

Fans take photographs as they gather outside Maracana stadium where the first 2014 World Cup match for Argentina's national soccer team will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday, June 15, 2014. The Maracana is the spiritual home of Brazilian soccer, where record attendance was attained in 1950 when Brazil lost to Uruguay in the Cup finals. (Bloomberg)

The footage shot by a Brazilian photographer showed people packed on the staircase of wooden steps as it swayed, grabbing hand rails to support themselves as they headed via their only exit to a concrete ramp leading to a subway station after the game.

“When people walk on it the wood moves, so with thousands of people walking up there, there could be an accident,” said Jorge Martinez, a Mexican systems engineer who used the stairs to leave Sunday night’s game.

The Rio de Janeiro state government issued a statement saying the staircase was inspected following complaints, reinforced and then re-inspected again Tuesday to ensure fan safety. (AP)