The Zagreb Fire Department has released a video showing the moment they were called out to an emergency, just seconds before Ivan Rakitic’s match-winning penalty that sent Croatia through to the World Cup semi-finals against England.
Croatia have depended on penalties to get through both the last-16 and the quarter-finals, with Denmark and Russia falling by the wayside in the narrowest of defeats.
For most of the eastern European nation, Rakitic’s triumphant effort was the cue for wild celebrations as Croatia reached the last-four for just the second time in their history, putting them a potential 90 minutes away from a first ever World Cup final.
But for the firefighters of the Zagreb Fire Department, the unthinkable happens.
Just as Rakitic makes his way towards the penalty area, the alarm goes off to send them into immediate organised chaos. Sprinting to their equipment, the firemen suit up while the fire engines roar into life, and within second they’re out the door and on their way.
Three men are left behind having done their bit in deploying the fire engines, and get back to the television that the men were huddled around just in time to enjoy the wild celebrations just as Rakitic’s penalty is buried into the Russian net.
While the video makes for fascinating viewing, it has also been used by the department as a reminder to remain safe if using objects such as flares or fireworks to celebrate the victory.
