The first day of the annual Running of the Bulls festival in Pamplona, Spain, resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries as the traditional event unfolded on Monday. The deceased, believed to be approximately 70 years old, suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed in a bar at around 10:30 p.m., several hours after six fighting bulls were released into the town's narrow streets.

Three men were transported to hospital following the event, including a 61-year-old American who sustained a head injury described as non-serious. The other two hospitalized individuals, Spanish nationals aged 20 and 34, suffered injuries to the leg and ankle. Additionally, two more people were treated on-site for injuries, including one person inside the bull ring. Local authorities confirmed that no goring injuries were reported during this first day of festivities.

The Running of the Bulls, or "encierro," is a centerpiece of the weeklong festival held annually in Pamplona's old town. It involves participants running ahead of the bulls over roughly half a mile of narrow streets before the animals are herded into enclosures at the bull ring. The 8 a.m. run on Monday lasted two minutes and 16 seconds. Following the run, the bulls were fought and killed inside the arena, a tradition expected to lead to the deaths of about 60 animals by the festival’s conclusion next Tuesday.

The initial six bulls for this year’s event were supplied by the Fuente Ymbro ranch in Cadiz, the same provider as the previous year. Among these was the heaviest bull, weighing approximately 610 kilograms (96 stones).

While the festival attracts thousands of participants and spectators dressed in the customary white and red attire, it continues to draw criticism from animal rights groups. Polly Foreman, a 32-year-old activist from Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, joined demonstrations organized by PETA and Spain’s AnimaNaturalis outside Pamplona’s City Hall. She condemned the event as cruel, stating that chasing and subsequently killing terrified bulls is not a cause for celebration.

Historically, the Running of the Bulls has claimed 16 lives since 1910. The most recent fatality occurred in 2009, when 27-year-old Daniel Jimeno from Madrid was gored in the neck by a bull named Capuchino. Despite the risks, the festival remains a deeply rooted cultural event in Pamplona, drawing participants and tourists from around the world.