FC Lorient groundsman tragically dies after a floodlight bar falls on him in a freak accident just minutes after the French top flight club’s draw against Rennes
- A defibrillator was used on the 38-year-old before he was rushed to hospital
- Reports in France claim the FC Lorient volunteer has succumbed to his injuries
- The shocking incident has left members from teams in a complete state of shock
A man working as a groundsman for Ligue 1 side FC Lorient has reportedly died after a floodlight bar on the stadium fell on him in a freak accident.
The 38-year-old man was rushed to Scorff hospital but reports in France are now claiming he has succumbed to his injuries.
The shocking incident happened at 7.00pm local time shortly after Lorient’s 3-0 defeat against Rennes on Sunday evening.
An FC Lorient groundsman has reportedly died after a floodlight bar fell on him
Emergency services used a defibrillator on the man before rushing him to the hospital
The goundsworker was carrying out of his duties after the full-time whistle when a floodlight ramp, used for pitch maintenance, collapsed on him.
Members from both teams have been left in a state of shock, having come back out on to the pitch to learn of the incident.
Emergency services quickly arrived on the scene and are said to have used a defibrillator on the man in a bid to save his life before he was rushed to hospital in critical condition.
Local firemen were also called to the scene to inspect the floodlight structure at Lorient’s 16,000 all-seater stadium.
The groundsman, who was working for the French club as a volunteer, was a father of three according to local news sources.
The tragic incident has left members from both teams in a complete state of shock
It happened shortly after Rennes had defeated hosts FC Lorient in a Ligue 1 match
A TV report from Canal+ said: ‘Immediately, the firefighters and resuscitators arrived.
‘Currently they are carrying out incessant cardiac massages on this man.
‘We have seen players from Rennes completely panicked, other players came out of the locker room.
‘Club doctors, presidents, everyone is very worried.’
Two other groundsworkers were also taken to hospital but did not suffer any physical injuries.
Reports claim the man was placed on a life support machine in hospital before he died
The Mayor of Lorient, Fabrice Loher, was at the stadium at the time of the accident and said: ‘It’s a terrible accident. The police from the Lorient police station have marked up the scene and an investigation is underway to understand the circumstances of the accident.’
The FC Lorient management team immediately called a meeting, including the stadium security manager while none of their players gave post-match interviews.
Rennes coach Julien Stephan did speak after the match and said: ‘We have a thought about what happened on the pitch at the end.’
The Lorient staff member was said to have been rushed into intensive care and put on a life support machine before reports emerged that he had not survived.