SHANGHAI, January 1. /TASS/. No Russians were reported injured in a stampede breaking out in Chinese city of Shanghai during New Year’s celebrations, Russian General Consulate in Shanghai told TASS.
The stampede broke out on the Bund, a waterfront area and main tourist attraction in central Shanghai. A fireworks show which several hundred thousand people come to watch is staged annually on the New Year night in the Bund area.
The lack of proper police control is among causes for the stampede, a witness of the tragedy told TASS.
“All my family was walking in the midst of people. As the square was not divided into sectors by police barriers as it is usually done at mass events, it became clear at some moment of time that the stay is just dangerous there. This was almost impossible to get out of the mob, as the crowd was pushing all in one direction,” a Russian living in Shanghai told TASS.
The stampede sparked up when someone started throwing coupons looking like U.S. dollar bills from the roof of a skyscraper located on the embankment, as expensive restaurants are situated at upper floors and on the roofs of buildings in the Bund area, Chinese media reported. According to official reports, 35 died and 43 were injured in the tragic incident by now. There are children among casualties and those injured. All injured people are receiving medical aid. The city government has set up a special panel to probe the incident.