There was wide spread panic amongst spectators and runners alike during Saturday’s “encierros” when the animals crashed out of the bull ring and ran back towards the corrals.
Many members of the public had already climbed down the barriers into the street after the bulls had run past them. But unbeknown to the crowds the bulls had turned around and were stampeding back towards them.
Miraculously there were no further injuries as panic spread and hundreds of people leapt out of the path of the bulls and onto the barriers to safety.
Later José Velez explained that the doors of the bull ring were left open for the last straggler and the other bulls, instead of heading for the corrals, made an about turn and stampeded out of the gate and back along the route.
He noted that it was important that members of the public respected the “shot” which signified that the bulls were safely in the bull ring and the door closed before alighting from the barriers.
The return run of the bulls made this bull run one of the longest in the history of the fiestas lasting approximately seven minutes.
