Obafemi Martins’ Club, Shanghai Shenhua Stadium’s Gutted By Huge Fire Outbreak [Photos]

Nigerian international Obafemi Martins’ Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua – who made headlines by signing Carlos Tevez on a £615,000-a-week contract in December -have seen part of their stadium gutted by fire. Flames and thick black smoke billowed from the inferno at their 33,000-capacity Hongkou Football Stadium on Tuesday morning, with enough damage caused to suggest the club may have to relocate for their next home fixture.

Footage captured on mobile phones showed firefighters battling to contain the enormous blaze, which reportedly broke out at 8.30am local time and stopped traffic.

Fortunately, nobody is believed to have been hurt in the incident, with the fire brigade successfully containing the fire.

The authorities in Shanghai’s Hongkou District are investigating the cause of the blaze, with police suggesting it may have started in the stadium’s indoor rock-climbing facilities.

Shanghai Shenhua, who are managed by Gus Poyet, may have to play their next home game – against Changchun Yatai on April 16 – elsewhere if repairs can’t be carried out in time.

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