FIRE HAZARD
Ligue 1 match ABANDONED and players rushed down tunnel as plume of smoke engulfs stadium after flares thrown
An astonishing fire broke out at the front of a stand
MONTPELLIER'S Ligue 1 clash with St-Etienne was abandoned due to flares set off by supporters.
La Pallaide went into the match hoping to bolster their fading survival hopes.
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But after Jean-Louis Gasset's side went 2-0 down to their fellow strugglers, supporters let their frustrations boil over.
As Les Vertes doubled their lead early on in the second half, flares were thrown onto the pitch.
This caused a stoppage in play of around three minutes.
The match briefly resumed, before it became apparent that a fire had broken out at the front of the Etang de Thau stand.
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Supporters could be seen running to the back of the stand as a plume of black smoke worryingly rose from the blaze.
The referee suspended the contest and sent players back to the dressing rooms as the fire continued to burn.
Etang de Thau is where Montpellier's ultras stand during matches.
After around half an hour, fans were instructed to evacuate the stadium, with the decision made to abandon the match.
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The 2011-12 Ligue 1 champions have endured a disastrous season.
They went into this weekend bottom of the table with just 15 points, having failed to keep a single clean sheet.
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Former boss Michel der Zakarian was sacked just minutes after their 5-0 defeat to Marseille in October.
Owner Laurent Nicollin, who bizarrely sits in the dugout during matches, has often cut a forlorn figure on the sideline.
First team regulars Mousa Tamari, Akor Adams and Arnaud Nordin were sold during the January transfer window.
Montpellier went into today's contest having lost six consecutive matches.
During the delay, local players Teji Savanier and Joris Chotard could be seen looking devastated as they stood by the tunnel.
La Paillade were humiliated 4-0 by fourth tier Le Puy Foot 43 Auvergne in the Coupe de France earlier this season.
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During the match, Savanier suggested that he didn't care about his side's struggles due to his big salary.
Nicollin subsequently made the decision to strip the midfielder of the captaincy.
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