Kauno Žalgiris have issued official statement after a fire broke out behind where their Ultras were during the Lithuanian Super Cup final awards ceremony at the Marijampolė hall.
The incident occurred moments after Kauno Žalgiris secured their maiden Super Cup with a 1-0 win over Panevėžys on Monday, 16th February. The fire is believed to have been cause by a spark from pyrotechnics that ignited some mats stored under the stands and, while it was quickly extinguished, plumes of smoke inside the hall necessitated the evacuation of spectators and a rushed awards ceremony, during which players had to cover their faces to breathe.
Club president Mantas Kalnietis said the team were left frustrated that the celebrations were cut short. “It’s a pity that, because of the situation, we couldn’t properly enjoy the first trophy of the season and celebrate with the fans, but we’re happy it ended well,” he said. Kalnietis added that the club understood the incident “was not a deliberate act” and confirmed Kauno Žalgiris were cooperating with Sūduva – owners of the facility – event organisers and supporters in the ongoing investigation.
Nothing was said by the club, the league or the football federation about ramifications for public and player safety from using pyrotechnics indoors and around artificial pitches.
Use of pyrotechnics by the fans is regulated in Estonia (permits must be secured and there are designated areas) and aggressively penalised in Latvia, with incidents ranging from damage to artificial pitches to smoke inhalation making headlines in recent years.
