The audience party turned into chaos when the railing at the packed bandy arena in Bollnäs gave way.
Edvin Kronberg, 12, was one of many children who stood at the front and fell several meters helplessly onto the ice.
– I just fell straight down and had people over me. Everything went in slow motion, he says.
Edvin Kronberg from Alfta plays bandy himself and attends all of Edsbyn’s matches. Saturday’s match against Bollnäs at SBB Arena was a crowd party with over 3,500 people in the stands.
Bollnäs led 1-0 for most of the match. In the end, Edsbyn ventured into a bigger attack, he says.
– Then Bollnäs did a rather ugly thing, we thought, and the referee did not award a free kick. Then people in the stands became very angry and screamed and leaned forward. That’s when it all happened.
50 people fell
He stood at the bottom of the stand with many other children. They leaned against a railing.
– Everything came crashing down. We fell straight down, like 1.5 meters down to the ice. I got my two friends over me. The air was knocked out of me, I couldn’t breathe and it hurt like hell. Everything went in slow motion.
He landed on his knees and after a while tried to stand up, but couldn’t.
– People were shocked, screamed, cried. There were 50 to 60 people who had just fallen straight down.
Chaos at the hospital
He was taken to hospital with about 30 other people, many of them children.
– It was completely full in the intensive care unit, everywhere I saw people with red and blue Edsbyn shirts that the staff carried on stretchers. Some had broken arms, legs, someone had a screw in their leg. Several had concussions.
Edvin Kronberg had to leave the hospital at midnight. The next day he has difficulty walking.
– The doctor said it was unbelievable that my knees were not broken in any way.
Feeling great anger
He says he feels sadness and shock at what has happened, but also anger.
– It is a disaster and downright deplorable that a hall that is two years old can collapse in this way. Whoever built this arena should be ashamed.
For Edvin Kronberg, the accident means that he now misses his own training and matches for the rest of the season. He usually walks to school, but now he has to be driven.
The incident on Saturday will affect him for a long time.
– I will never go to Bollnäs arena again. I will never dare to do that.