A football fan has reportedly had his foot amputated after at least 20 people were injured when a crowded escalator at a metro station in Rome ran out of control.
The Russian embassy in Italy said two people underwent surgery following the incident, which sent dozens of CSKA Moscow football fans hurtling into each other in the Repubblica subway station in Rome on Tuesday.
The prefect's office put the number of injured at 20, mostly Russians in town for a Champion's League soccer game between CSKA Moscow and Roma. Firefighters said seven were in serious condition.
One of the fans had a foot partially severed in the crush and has had to have it amputated, Italian newspaper Repubblica reported.
The Russian embassy in Italy later said that up to 30 football fans were injured.
In an update, it tweeted: "Three people in the hospital “Umberto I”, Viale del Policlinico, 1. Two Russians underwent surgery."
Local media reports claim the escalator malfunctioned after Russian fans were seen "singing and jumping on it" causing it to give way.
The metropolitan station at Piazza Repubblica near the main Termini train station was closed by investigators.
"The scene that we found was people piled up at the bottom of the escalator," said Rome provincial fire chief Giampietro Boscaino.
"People one on the top of the other looking for help. They had various injuries caused by the escalator that was twisted, therefore serious injuries."
“I just witnessed a scene from apocalypse,” a witness told RAI, the state television broadcaster.
“An escalator, one metre from me, began to accelerate as if it was going crazy … what is happening in this city?”
Italian news agency Ansa quoted city transport agency officials as saying maintenance is carried out on metro system escalators every month.
The incident happened before CSKA Moscow's match with Roma in the group stages of the Champions League.
About 1,500 CSKA fans were attending the match.
