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At Least 20 Dead By Electrocution In Haiti Carnival Accident
At least 20 people on a music group’s packed Carnival float in the Haitian capital were killed Tuesday when they were electrocuted by a power line, officials said.
The accident occurred as thousands of people filled the streets of downtown Port-au-Prince for the raucous annual celebration. People at the scene said someone on the float used a pole or stick to move a power line so the float could pass under it.
At least 20 people were killed and 46 were injured, according to Nadia Lochard, a coordinator for the Department of Civil Protection.
The float was sponsored by the Haitian hip-hop group Barikad Crew. Some of the victims were instantly electrocuted in a flash of sparks, according to witnesses. Others managed to jump off, causing panic in the crowd.
“I saw the wire falling and sparks and I started running for my life,” said Natacha Saint Fleur, a 22-year-old who was near the float at the time.
Photo: Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
People injured during carnival celebrations wait for treatment at General Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Hundreds of people thronged the General Hospital, where many of the victims were taken, some carrying victims and others searching for family members brought by ambulance.