[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A frightening accident occurred during a soccer match when a broadcast camera caught fire and suddenly crashed onto the field.
Players and camera crew members narrowly avoided the accident, and no major injuries were reported.
According to foreign media outlets, including News.com, the broadcast camera fell from the air during a match between Hungary and Kazakhstan at Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary, on the 9th local time.
The so-called Spidercam, which was filming live footage while moving across the sky above the stadium, suddenly caught fire, emitted smoke, and then fell.
Spectators were the first to notice something was wrong and began filming the scene on their phones. However, the referees and match officials did not realize what had happened, and play continued.
The camera fell from more than 20 meters above the ground. One cameraman filming near the touchline at the time avoided the accident by just a few steps.
Fortunately, the falling equipment did not strike any players or staff directly. The match was briefly halted, debris was cleared, and play resumed. Hungary went on to defeat Kazakhstan 3-1.
Online reactions included comments such as, "It would have been a major accident if it had been just a few steps different," "They were incredibly lucky," and "The cameraman escaped with his life."
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
