After a firework was ignited in his bathroom, Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli found himself needing to escape from his burning residence.
This incident marks yet another strange chapter in the 21-year-old Italian’s Premier League journey, as police and fire crews responded to the striker’s home in Macclesfield shortly after midnight when the fire erupted.
“A fire crew was able to extinguish the flames within thirty minutes of their arrival but stayed on-site until 2:45am to ensure no flare-ups occurred,” noted a representative from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.
“The property was equipped with smoke alarms, allowing the occupants to exit without injury. The fire originated due to a firework.”
On Saturday, Balotelli attended training as usual and informed club officials that the fire began when he and four companions set off fireworks through an open window.
Reports indicate that the fire within the home ignited when a firework ignited bathroom towels, according to Balotelli’s account.
Throughout his career, Balotelli has frequently attracted controversy and has faced several incidents since his arrival at City in August 2010.
In his debut season, he was dismissed twice and was also scrutinized for an episode at City’s training facility when darts were directed at a youth player.
Furthermore, City manager Roberto Mancini replaced him after just thirty minutes of a pre-season match against Los Angeles Galaxy due to his unsuccessful back heel attempt.
Despite these numerous confrontations, Mancini recently asserted that Balotelli had shown a “significant improvement” in his conduct, having claimed only the day before that he was “altering his mentality.”
by Buford Balony
