Haiti: 16 dead, 78 injured - Carnival Canceled - National Mourning

16 dead, 78 injured - The Carnival is canceled - National Mourning

Majority of injuries apparently due to panicked crowd movements

Place Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Crowded float celebrating Carnival when some were electrocuted by power line contact and ensuing panic.

Update: 16 dead, 78 injured - The Carnival is canceled - National Mourning

According to witnesses, a person on the carnival float would have attempted to lift an electric cable to facilitate the passage of the latter, causing a powerful arc that has struck several people on the float.

The incident sparked a huge panic among the thousands of revelers, causing a deadly crowd movement that would have also made several victims trampled, according to testimony reported.

This afternoon at a conference at the Primature Dr. Claude Suréna of the Haitian Red Cross provided new figures of the accident http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13199-haiti-flash-carnival-2015-in-shock-at-least-15-victims-dozens-injured-update-12-28-pm.html occurred this morning at 2:48 a.m., during the passage of the float of Group Barikad Crew "[...] The balance sheet that we have [...] after having toured the hospitals [...] is of 16 reported dead, identified and observed and 78 injured, I repeat victims, we are not talking about electrocuted, we will not say that all these people are people who have been burned, do not forget that after the accident there had movement of panic [...] now the second step will be to return to the hospital to find out in detail what each person has, to know what kind of support the government will do for each person [...]"

Then Prime Minister Paul Evans has intervened and declared the following "[...] it is clear that what's happened was an accident, the government that is responsible, will form a committee of experts to qualify the accident [...] right after there has been a support [to victims] at the Champ-de-Mars [...]

The first decision we have taken is to cancel Carnival festivities for today Tuesday, February 17 throughout the territory, there will be no Carnival.

But, together with the organizer of the Carnival, the Jazz, we will organize from 5 pm today on the de Champ-de-Mars, a white parade of all groups present in the Carnival, in white and silence in solidarity with the victims [...]

The government will also provide support for victims, injured people, the government will not drop them, we will continue to ensure that health services examines their case.

And the people who died, the government will take care of the funeral.

Haiti - FLASH : Carnival 2015 in shock, at least 15 victims, dozens injured (UPDATE 12:28 pm) 17/02/2015 07:12:01 In the night from Tuesday at 2:48 a.m., a terrible accident occurred during the Carnival parade in Port-au-Prince, during the passage of the float of Group Barikad Crew (10th in the running order) in the area Champ de Mars. According to witnesses, a person on the carnival float would have attempted to lift an electric cable to facilitate the passage of the latter, causing a powerful arc that has struck several people on the float. The incident sparked a huge panic among the thousands of revelers, causing a deadly crowd movement that would have also made several victims trampled, according to testimony reported. Given the magnitude of the incident, the emergency stand of the First Lady, Sophia Martelly was quickly overwhelmed. Dr. Max Roudolph Saint-Albin Director General Ofatma, present on the emergency stand estimated between 4-7 deaths and over 40 injured, the situation was such that there were up to two patients per bed awaiting transport to hospital when needed. Dr. Saint-Albain did not yet know the situation on other emergency stations nor the number of transferees in Hospitals. Contrary to a rumor that circulated on social networks, lead singer of the group Barikad Crew "Fantom" is not dead in the incident, but he is in critical condition. It is too early for all the information from all rescue centers and hospitals allow to make a definitive assessment. However, the number of victims could be between 13 and 20 deaths (due to the victims of the crowd movement) and the number of casualties could be greater than 60... In a note Rothchild Francis Jr., the Minister of Communication indicates "[...] A preliminary assessment allows to establish to more than a dozen dead and forty wounded. The government presents its sympathies to the families of the victims and said that all arrangements have been made to assist all those affected by this tragedy." Early this morning in an official statement "The President of the Republic, HE Mr. Michel Joseph Martelly, expresses deep sorrow following the incident early this Tuesday, February 17th at the Champ de Mars at the second fat day of the National Carnival, where the musical float of Barikad crew was the victim of electrocution making several victims. The Head of State, on behalf of the entire Government sends its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims on the occasion of this sad event." "Deep sadness at this tragic accident my sympathies to the families we share your pain and suffering. The Republic can count on my sense of responsibility. My deepest sympathies to the entire population," declared Prime Minister Evans Paul. "Ministè Touris retire chapo li byen ba devan tout viktim, fanmiy ak tout ayisyen alawonnbadè kokennchenn trajedi sa afekte," indicated the Ministry of Tourism. "The Ministry of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE) presents its sympathies to the families especially the members of the diaspora, following the incident that occurred early this Tuesday, February 17, 2015, around 2:48 a.m. during the passage of musical float of Baricad Crew in the Champ-de-Mars area. The Minister Olicier Pieriche expresses its deep pain after the accident and invites the general population and compatriots from abroad in particular to calm while waiting for the new government guidelines." "Tout priyè nou yo pou fanmi ki gin viktim ak blese nan aksidan ki fèt pandan parad la nan kanaval lan," declared the Canadian Ambassador to Haiti, Paula Caldwell. UPDATE 12:28 pm Partial list of victims reported by the hospital of the State University of Haiti : 14 victims, including 13 men : Gabriel Jacques Leconte, Lundi Baugella, Alain Paul, Bureau Alice, Cedieu Joseph, Cenal Pegyve, Dorin Pascal, Félix Origène, Jean Rony Civil, Jeudy Peterson, Joseph Darel Jeff, Louis René, Thermidor Kenson and a woman whose body has not been identified.

We plan to hold state funeral, this in consultation with families, we plan to do them Saturday, February 21.

We decree National mourning throughout the country from tomorrow Wednesday, February 18, mourning will last 3 days and will end on the day of collective state funeral Saturday, February 21 [...]"

See also :
http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13199-haiti-flash-carnival-2015-in-shock-at-least-15-victims-dozens-injured.html

---------------------------------------------

CFN - California Fire News 2013 

 -  

Tweet