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Three Are Gored in Fourth Bull Run

Posted on: Thursday, 10 July 2003, 06:00 CDT

Three men were gored and at least 10 others suffered cuts and bruises from stampeding bulls in a particularly dangerous bull run on Thursday- the fourth day of Spain's internationally-renowned San Fermin Fiesta in Pamplona.

Mariano Lorente, 27, of Pamplona, suffered an injury to his chest, the private news agency Europa Press reported. Earlier, TV footage showed emergency workers treating him on the scene. There was no immediate word on his condition.

Two other men from Pamplona were attacked in shoulder and buttock by the charging bulls from the Jandina ranch, who are famous for their speed, but none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, the Spanish TV reported which broadcast the event live.

As on the previous three days of the festival, six heavily-muscled bulls plodded through Pamplona's crowded cobblestone streets in a four-minute dash to the arena, where they would face bullfighters later in the afternoon.

One dramatic incident occurred when one runner slipped on the cobblestones and fell in front of the six stumbling bulls, but the man suffered only minor injuries.

Nearly at the end of the run, a straggling bull separated from the others when the animals had reached the bull ring, and started charging the crowd individually for more than a minute before it finally entered the stables to applause from the crowd.

More than 1 million people are expected to visit Pamplona during the eight-day festival. The event started Friday.

The runs, or "encierros," draw thousands of people testing their bravery and speed by running with the bulls.

The centuries-old festival, which features a nonstop street party, became internationally famous following the 1926 publication of Ernest Hemingway's novel "The Sun Also Rises."

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