On February 17, 2015, starting at around 2:48 AM, a

stampede A stampede () is a situation in which a group of large animals suddenly start running in the same direction, especially because they are excited or frightened. Although the term is most often applied to animals, there are cases of humans stamped ...

occurred during the traditional Mardi Gras parade on

Champ de Mars Champ, CHAMP or The Champ may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Champ (cartoon character), an animated dog introduced in 1960 * The Champ, played on radio and created by Jake Edwards (radio personality), Jake Edwards * Champ ...

in the Haitian capital

Port-au-Prince Port-au-Prince ( ; ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Haiti, most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 1,200,000 in 2022 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894. The me ...

. Initial reports stated that at least 16 people had died in the accident. The number was revised to 18 dead (15 men and 3 women) according to the Haitian Minister of Communications, Rotchild François Junior. Nadia Lochard, of the Department of Civil Protection, stated that 20 people were killed in the accident. In addition, 78 people were injured, according to Haiti Prime Minister

Evans Paul Evans Paul (born 26 November 1955), also known as Compère Plume; shortened as K-Plume (KP), is a Haitian politician and former president of the Democratic United Committee. He was elected mayor of Port-au-Prince in the 1990 elections that broug ...

. The stampede occurred after a man participating on top of a

Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...

float during the Mardi Gras was shocked by high-voltage wires. Video footage of the incident shows visible sparks that triggered the stampede. The man, known by his

stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

Fantom Fantom is a Swedish velomobile with four wheels, two in the front and two in the rear. It has no front suspension, but has suspension in the rear. Fantom was never sold as a finished product. Instead it was sold as a set of drawings. The drawin ...

, and part of the Haitian hip hop band Barikad Crew, survived the shock and was in stable condition.

Reactions

Prime Minister Paul declared three days of official mourning for Haiti in response to the accident, and government officials announced a state funeral and vigil for the victims, which was held on February 21, 2015. Paul also said that a silent parade would be held along the Champ de Mars, where the accident occurred.

Michel Martelly Michel Joseph Martelly (; born 12 February 1961) is a Haitian musician and politician who served as the 42nd president of Haiti from May 2011 until February 2016. On August 20, 2024, the United States sanctioned the former president for traffic ...

, the President of Haiti, expressed his "sincerest sympathies" for the victims. After the accident, Minister of Communications François Junior said that the government will organize a plan to modernize the state electricity company, Electricité d’Haïti.

References

{{Human stampedes 2015 in Haiti 21st century in Port-au-Prince Man-made disasters in Haiti Human stampedes in 2015 Carnivals in Haiti Events in Port-au-Prince