Teen dies in fountain collapse during Spain's celebrations
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Nationwide celebrations following Spain's historic 2026 World Cup victory turned into tragedy early Monday morning in western Spain, where a 13-year-old boy was killed and several others were injured after a stone fountain collapsed under the weight of revellers.
The incident occurred in Ciudad Rodrigo, a municipality in the province of Salamanca, where hundreds of supporters had gathered in public plazas following the national team's 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina.
Fountain collapses over revellers
According to local media and emergency services, a crowd of enthusiastic fans had climbed onto the decorative Fuente del Árbol Gordo fountain to wave flags and chant slogans marking Spain's first World Cup title since 2010.
Shortly after midnight, the stone structure gave way, trapping several people underneath the falling debris.
Emergency services confirmed that calls reporting the incident were received shortly after 12:30 a.m. local time. Local police and rescue teams arrived swiftly at the scene, working to clear heavy stone fragments to extract those trapped.
Despite immediate medical intervention, the 13-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries. Three other individuals sustained serious injuries during the collapse and were transported to nearby medical facilities.
Municipality declares mourning
The local council of Ciudad Rodrigo issued an official statement on social media expressing profound grief over the devastating loss of life during what was intended to be a night of national triumph.
"The city hall of Ciudad Rodrigo expresses its sadness and presents its condolences for the death of a boy of 13," the municipality said in a Facebook post. "What should have been a celebration of Spain's team in the football World Cup turned into tragedy."
The municipality announced that official flags across all civic buildings in Ciudad Rodrigo will fly at half-mast from July 20 through July 22 to honor the young victim.
Authorities have launched a formal investigation to evaluate structural damage prior to the gathering and determine the precise circumstances surrounding the collapse.
