Fifa Women’s World Cup 2023: Eden Park apologises after false alarm during match

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An alarm went off during the game between the United States and Portugal at Eden Park. Photo / AP

By RNZ

Eden Park has apologised to fans after a false alarm sounded during last night’s Fifa Women’s World Cup match, but says its systems worked as intended.

A spectator said she and others were freaking out when the alarm went off during the USA v Portgual match and they found exits near them locked.

Estelle, who was seated with her husband and four daughters in block 420, said at least two doors out of the stand were locked when the alarm went off during the halftime break.

After she heard the alarm, she went towards the exit, “and it was then I noticed the doors... were shut”, she said.

An automated message came over the speakers saying it was a fire alarm and people should evacuate, but the match was continuing.

“A lot of people were starting to get confused, because the sound was saying ‘please evacuate’ but our doors were shut - we couldn’t exit.”

She said the security guards did not have any information.

The speaker messages then changed to say it was a false alarm, and people started coming back in about 10 minutes into the second half.

“It highlights to me there was a fault in the system because nothing was explained ... I feel sorry for their security staff, because they were really ill-equipped.”

Estelle said at one stage an American supporter had climbed over a barrier, and some US fans were talking to security guards and asking for doors to be released.

Other spectators were looking confused until the word spread that it was a false alarm.

“If there was a fire and people could not leave the stadium, there would have been severe panic and it would have led to people stampeding.

“I would want to make sure that it doesn’t happen again and they look into why those doors were locked.”

In a statement, Eden Park said a sprinkler was activated in a retail outlet on the level-three concourse during the match, and it had been a false alarm and isolated.

“Our stadium systems are intended to isolate the areas affected within the venue and last night operated as designed.

“An announcement was made to event-goers over our public address system, and stadium management, Fire and Emergency and Fifa were aware of the incident immediately.

“The situation was rectified promptly, and fans who were impacted by this incident were able to return to watch the game.

“We will continue working with contractors and agencies to debrief the incident.”

Eden Park’s statement apologised to any fan who was distressed as a result of the incident.

“We would like to thank everyone involved, including all the fans for co-operating and taking prompt action,” it said.

Pene and her family were at the top of section 634, and when the alarm went off, her son, who was getting food, phoned to say he had been told to leave.

The teenager was unsure where to go, and didn’t get back to the family’s seats.

“He got back into level three, but then he was told that he couldn’t come back up to where we were, and so he found some family friends and stayed down on level three with them.”

“It was very confusing,” she said. ”This automated message came out and said it was a fire alarm and ‘please evacuate’, but the game was playing and everyone was just looking round going, ‘What are we meant to be doing?”

Andrew and his family were also in section 634 and initially sat for a few minutes as the match continued and the alarm was sounding.

“But being mindful of stadium disasters in the past, we were like, ‘Okay, we better not take any chances’ - and so we left.”

They made their way to the main exit, and once the alarm stopped, they watched the rest of the game from the lower concourse.

He saw one fire truck and some fire officers going into the building, but heard no announcements and said security staff were not directing people.

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