Reuters quoted officials in Haiti saying, “the carnival float hit a power line in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, setting off a stampede by bystanders.”
Reportedly most of the victims were caught in the stampede after the carnival hit a high-voltage power line.
The mishap occurred early Tuesday when thousands of revelers poured on the streets of downtown Port-au-Prince for the annual three-day celebration that began on Sunday.
The annual street carnival in Haiti coincides with other Mardi Gras carnivals around the world. The event attracts large crowds keen to witness different bands atop colorful floats.
“People at the scene said someone on the float touched an overhead power line with a pole or stick as the float passed underneath it,” CBC News reported.
Most of the revelers were killed by electrocution, while others died due to the stampede.
According to Haitian-Caribbean News Network “The death toll could be higher given that several of the health centers that had received patients in critical conditions had not yet provided a final report on the situation of the injured.”
Media outlets reported chaotic scenes around Haiti’s hospitals — people carrying victims or seeking information about family and friends.
Haiti’s President Michel Martelly expressed condolences to the victims and announced three days of mourning. Further celebrations of the carnival have been cancelled.
