Bodies, clothes, bags lie on ground after stampede
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) – A chaotic stampede broke out as hundreds of people rushed to get on a exit route from a punk rock concert in a Mexican bullring, leaving behind a trail of abandoned bags, clothes and broken dreams.
The stampede occurred Wednesday night at the 20,000-seat bullring in Toluca, just west of Mexico City, when fans of the punk rock band Maldita Vecinidad rushed to leave the venue after the show ended.
Bodies of young people, some with bloodied and bruised faces, lay on the bloodstained ground as paramedics struggled to reach the injured. Closets and bags were abandoned in a desperate bid to escape the crush.
“It was a fall, then another, then another,” said Carlos, a 23-year-old fan, who recounted the chaos. “People were trampled and squeezed, and I thought it was the last time for me.”
Mexican authorities reported at least 10 people dead and some 20 others injured in the stampede. Many more were still unaccounted for.
The tragedy raised concerns about safety measures at the exit route, which critics said were woefully inadequate, with thin metal barriers and a narrow corridor that funneled thousands of people into a single, crowded space.
Television images showed people covered in blood and shouting for help as rescue workers struggled to reach them.
The tragedy was met with widespread outrage in Mexico, with many demanding action to improve safety measures at crowded events and avoid similar disasters in the future.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador condemned the accident, saying “It’s a tragedy, a very great sorrow.”
Rescue efforts continued through the night, with aid pouring in from across Mexico to help treat the injured and account for the missing.
