Fatal crush at Citadelle Laferrière: seven individuals held in custody
A panic surge during a festival at Citadelle Laferrière, near Milot, claimed 25 lives. Police arrested seven people, including five municipal police officers.
Fatal crush at Citadelle Laferrière: seven individuals held in custody
On Saturday, a frenzied crowd caused a tragedy within the historic Laferrière fortress, erected atop a mountain in northern Haiti. The accident claimed the lives of twenty-five people. In response, the authorities declared a national three-day period of mourning. Seven suspects were apprehended on Monday.
Initially, the ministry responsible for culture had announced a death toll of thirty victims. However, according to the law enforcement authorities and the mayor of Milot, the number of deaths stands at twenty-five. Among those implicated are five members of the local police force as well as two agents of the organisation responsible for preserving the national heritage.
The disaster occurred during a traditional celebration that had attracted an unusually large crowd. Visitors trapped inside wished to leave, while others attempted to enter the compound. This confrontation escalated. The civil protection agency determined that the site had only a single exit, which amplified the chaos. People were crushed, lost consciousness, or suffocated.
The mayor of the municipality, Wesner Joseph, clarified that thirteen bodies were transported to the Sacré-Cœur health facility, whilst twelve others remained inside the citadelle. Twenty-five injured persons are being treated at the same hospital centre. The ministerial cabinet, headed by Alix Didier Fils Aimé, met on Sunday evening and decided to assume the costs of the funerals.
Source: AL24 News
Source: Google News HT — Crime