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Emergency services attended the stadium after the incident on Friday Connie FRANCE / AFP via Getty Images One person has died and dozens are in hospital after an incident at Alianza Lima’s football stadium in Peru on Friday. The club said it occurred during a ‘banderazo’ — a gathering of football fans, typically ahead of big games to show support to their team — at its Alejandro Villanueva ‘Matute’ stadium, a day before the club’s derby match against capital rivals Universitario. Advertisement Peru’s health minister Juan Carlos Velasco confirmed to news channel Canal N on Friday that a 39-year-old male had died during the incident. Later, a government press release quoted Velasco as saying that a further 47 people were in hospital. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident, which has not yet been clarified, although both Alianza Lima and local emergency services denied that any wall or structure had collapsed inside the stadium. “We deeply regret what happened and express our heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, as well as our solidarity with those who were injured, ” read a statement from Alianza Lima. ? Comunicado oficial. pic. twitter. com/Pyt WZAwqhn — Club Alianza Lima (@Club ALoficial) April 4, 2026 “The security and emergency response protocols were immediately activated following the incident, and we are fully and transparently cooperating with the authorities to clarify the facts under investigation. “It should be noted that, according to the preliminary information available, the incident is not related to the collapse of walls or structural failures of the sports complex. ” Marco Pajuelo, involved in the firefighters’ response to the incident, told Canal N denied suggestions that a wall in the stadium had collapsed. “There was no debris, ” Pajuelo said. Canal N subsequently broadcast footage of the event, showing hundreds of fans entering the stadium waving flags and lighting fireworks. A statement from the municipality of La Victoria — the district in southern Lima in which the Alejandro Villanueva stadium is located — said that it was not aware of any planned event taking place, and it had not granted any approval for one. Peru’s football’s league has said that the derby match, alongside all others in the top division, would go ahead as scheduled this weekend. Advertisement “We will continue to work closely with the clubs and authorities to promote safe environments both inside and outside the stadiums, ” the league said. Velasco, who visited the Loayza and Dos de Mayo hospitals in Lima, where 27 of the injured had been taken, said following the incident: “The entire health system acted immediately. “I am here to guarantee the injured are receiving comprehensive care and I want to reassure the families of the injured that everyone is receiving care under the full coverage of the Comprehensive Health Insurance (SIS – Peru’s public health service) and there will be no out-of-pocket expenses. ” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Colin Millar is a Senior Editor for The Athletic. Prior to joining The Athletic, Colin was European Football writer at Mirror Football. From Belfast, he is the author of The Frying Pan of Spain: Sevilla vs Real Betis, Spain’s Hottest Football Rivalry, and he can be found on Twitter/X: @Millar_Colin Follow Colin on Twitter @Millar_Colin