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On the bustling Strand, a joyful celebration had unfolded just 25 minutes prior. The Liverpool team paraded on an open-top bus, passing by the Royal Liver Building, as a massive crowd erupted into a moving rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone to commemorate their new Premier League champions. The atmosphere was electrifying, with fireworks lighting up the sky and ticker-tape cascading down. Former Liverpool managers, Jürgen Klopp and Sir Kenny Dalglish, looked out from an apartment on Mann Island, waving to the exultant fans below.
However, the mood dramatically shifted just after 6pm on Water Street, located nearby. A 53-year-old white British male from the Liverpool area was behind the wheel of a car that collided with several pedestrians, including four children. The aftermath was grim, with 27 individuals rushed to the hospital, two of them sustaining severe injuries, one of whom was a child. An additional 20 people received treatment for minor injuries at the scene, while others decided to seek medical attention at hospitals across Merseyside later in the day.
Ambulances remained stationed outside Liverpool town hall for over three hours, attending to approximately 20 to 30 casualties being treated at the Riva Blu Italian restaurant across the street. One man from Birmingham, who preferred not to disclose his name, recounted being treated for back and leg injuries after being knocked over during the chaotic incident. What was supposed to be a day of unbridled revelry for Liverpool fans from all corners of the globe – including Switzerland, Australia, and Thailand – had transformed into a somber and distressing affair.
Liverpool city council estimated that half a million spectators had lined the 10-mile parade route across the city to catch a glimpse of their footballing heroes, such as Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. The excitement in the air had been palpable despite the inclement weather, with fans staking out their spots as early as 8am to secure the best vantage points. The jubilation that permeated the streets would later be shattered by the tragic incident on Water Street, where joy gave way to despair. Liverpool FC swiftly ceased all social media activities and cancelled an upcoming staff celebration upon learning of the severity of the situation—a stark and heart-wrenching end to what should have been a day of unadulterated joy for the club and its supporters
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