Flares Could Force Fire Brigade to Boycott Football Matches in Split

Firemen in the Dalmatian city of Split are threatening to refuse to attend anymore football matches in an official capacity after two firemen were injured during Croatia’s biggest football derby on the weekend.

Two firemen were injured during the Hajduk Split v Dinamo Zagreb derby at Poljud stadium after flares and crackers were thrown onto the pitch near the corner flag, with one firemen almost perforating his eardrum from the blast. Spilt Firefighters commander Ivan Kovacevic says he will meet with Hajduk Split club management this week, and is threatening to refuse secure the stadium for future matches.

“I do not know how to appeal to some fans who, in addition to spoiling the atmosphere at the stadium and causing the club large penalties, are often seriously injuring firefighters. There has been no derby where we have not had injured firemen. At the last derby, two men lost their hearing. The capillaries in their ears broke and one nearly had his eardrum perforated, which would mean that he could no longer work as a firefighter, ” Kovacevic says, adding that all emergency services (police, ambulance and fire brigade) will meet with the management of the club this week.