THE HAGUE, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The roof of the stadium of Dutch soccer club AZ collapsed due to faulty welding connections and there is a danger of collapse in more places, the Dutch Safety Board stated on Friday on the basis of a preliminary research.
On August 10, a part of the roof of the grandstand of the AZ stadium in Alkmaar collapsed. No match was going on at the time and no one got injured.
Following the collapse, the Dutch Safety Board, an independent organization which investigates specific incidents as well as broader safety issues and unsafe situations, started an exploratory investigation and did technical research at the stadium.
During the exploratory investigation it became apparent that the direct cause of the failure of the roof construction can be traced down to the failure of the welding connections in the trusses. It is not yet known why these connections failed.
The Dutch Safety Board gave AZ and the municipality of Alkmaar an interim warning on Friday for the welding connections in the remaining stadium roof. During the exploratory investigation, two fractures and two suspicious spots were also found in the part of the roof that is still intact.
"The observed fractures and suspected cracks can lead to the collapse of parts of the remaining roof and thus constitute an acute risk," the Safety Board stated. "That is why the Dutch Safety Board has sent a formal interim warning in which it urges AZ to check the stability and strength of the structure and take measures where necessary. The municipality must supervise this as a licensing authority."
"AZ takes this very seriously," AZ responded in a statement. "It goes without saying that until the moment that complete security can be given with regard to the safety of everyone, the stands remain closed to the public. This does not apply to the rooms in the main building."
The consequences for AZ's playing schedule will be mapped out at short notice and discussed with the Dutch soccer association KNVB and the European soccer association UEFA. Thursday's Europa League tie against Mariupol was played at ADO Den Haag's stadium in The Hague and Sunday's league home match against Groningen is also scheduled for The Hague.
