Over 30 Football Fans Electrocuted In Calabar

Over 30 people are feared dead at a football viewing centre in Calabar, the Cross River State capital after being electrocuted by a high tension cable that reportedly fell on them.

The football fans are said to have assembled at the centre to watch a UEFA Europa League quarter-final match between Manchester United and Anderlecht on satellite television.

Channels Television reported that the live electricity cable broke from its mooring and fell on the viewers.

A witness, who said he was the first to run out of the viewing centre, told Channels Television that the victims died as a result of a contact between the live cable and the roof of the viewing centre.

Electricity authorities said it is illegal to erect any building around areas with high tension cables.

The Cross River state governor, Ben Ayade in statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press, Mr Christian Ita, sympathized with the family of those who lost their lives saying the incident marks a dark chapter in the life of the state. He promised to look into the cause of the accident in order to prevent a recurrence.

A local journalist says the scene has been cordoned off and the electricity supply in the area has been switched off.