A West Brom fan died at Hillsborough after collapsing; an inquest probes a chaotic emergency response.

An inquest into the death of West Bromwich Albion fan Mark Townsend, 57, who collapsed at Hillsborough Stadium on September 28, 2024, continues at Sheffield Coroners’ Court. Dr. Richard Stones, a GP and West Brom supporter, testified that he and an off-duty paramedic performed CPR on Townsend on the Leppings Lane stand, describing a chaotic and poorly coordinated response with no immediate access to a defibrillator or oxygen. He criticized stadium staff for inaction and said moving Townsend worsened the situation. Lambda Medical, the private ambulance service contracted for the match, denied the response was disorganized, calling it “almost textbook” despite a defibrillator battery failure and a second ambulance crew’s arrival, which it said caused confusion. The coroner is examining the emergency response amid conflicting accounts.