Heat blamed for Ghana deaths

Fans cheering on Ghana at a national team match

Severe heat and overcrowding are being blamed for the deaths of four fans at a Ghanaian league match between Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak in Kumasi on Sunday.

Many fans collapsed in the heat at the Baba Yara Stadium, which was filled far beyond its 40,000 capacity.

The Ghana Football Association says that the four fans suffocated to death.

Supporters had gathered early in the morning for the meeting of the country's greatest rivals, and the stadium entrances were closed off at least an hour before kick-off.

Sections of the crowd were sprayed with water to try and cool people down, and medical officers were called in to treat numerous cases of heat exhaustion.

In 2001 a fixture in Accra between the same two teams left 127 dead after a crowd stampede.