Moment of shock for New Zealand’s footballers: The selection of the World Cup co-hosts had to be brought to safety because of a fire alarm from the team hotel. According to the AP news agency, several small fires broke out in the Pullman Hotel in Auckland on Saturday.
During the extinguishing work, the team was accommodated in a neighboring hotel for a few hours, wrote the newspaper “New Zealand Herald”. According to the team, all players are safe.
According to the AP report, police have charged a 34-year-old man with burglary and arson. He had to appear before a district court on Monday. It is unclear whether the incident is related to the World Cup.
No connection with soccer World Cup
Regardless of this, the security measures around the co-host team have been increased after a shootout at the start of the World Cup in Auckland on Thursday that left several dead and injured.
“The shooting and a hotel fire are unrelated and are eerie coincidences,” Andrew Pragnell, chief executive of the Football Association of New Zealand, told the New Zealand Herald. Nevertheless, with the support of the world association (FIFA), additional measures have been taken to increase security.