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A fire broke out outside the Etihad Stadium before Manchester City’s Champions League game against Club Brugge on Wednesday, leading to the evacuation of an area and causing disruption to pre-match activities. The blaze occurred shortly before 6pm at a merchandise kiosk near the entrance to the Colin Bell West Stand.
The fire broke out just before Pep Guardiola’s team was scheduled to arrive at the stadium around 6:30pm. At the time, fans had gathered for a pre-match entertainment show, featuring on-stage interviews with Manchester City’s January signings Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis, and Abdukodir Khusanov. The show had already started with women’s players Rebecca Knaak and Aemu Oyama on stage when the fire erupted.
Stewards quickly moved fans away from the flames, and the event was immediately suspended. Fire services arrived on the scene within minutes, and the area was evacuated by stewards and security staff. The fire was soon brought under control, and by 6:22pm, it was announced that the stadium was open, although three entrance gates close to the scene remained closed.
Manchester City released a statement confirming the fire and emphasizing the priority of attendee safety. The statement read: “Manchester City FC can confirm that there has been a fire in one of the outside merchandise kiosks, located near the entrance to the Colin Bell West Stand. Emergency services are present at the scene and the fire has now been extinguished. The safety of all attending the match tonight is our top priority, and as such all events planned for West Stand reception have been cancelled, including the welcome event for new players, and the first team arrival.”
A later update from the club added: “All entrances are open, and fans can move around the Etihad Stadium as per usual. Thank you for your cooperation. We can confirm that tonight’s match will kick off at 8pm as originally planned.”
The Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service reported: “Just before 6pm this evening, two fire engines were called to reports of a building fire involving an outbuilding on the car park of the football ground on Rowsley Street, Manchester. Crews arrived quickly at the scene. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used two hose reels to extinguish the fire. They are currently dampening down any hotspots and making the area safe. Firefighters have been in attendance for around twenty minutes and are still at the scene.”
Despite the disruption, the match between Manchester City and Club Brugge, which City needed to win to progress to the Champions League knockout stages, was set to kick off at 8pm GMT as scheduled. Local reports indicated that the team used a different entrance to access the stadium, as the West Stand reception was closed.
The swift response by emergency services and the efficient evacuation by stewards ensured that the fire outside the Etihad Stadium did not escalate further. The incident caused some disruption to pre-match activities, but it was handled promptly, allowing the game to proceed as planned. The safety measures and the quick action by all involved highlighted the preparedness and coordination in managing such unexpected events.
