People stand in a street of Abidjian where at least 60 persons died in a stampede among crowds gathered for celebratory New Year's Eve fireworks that also left dozens injured.(Photo: Issouf Sanggo, AFP/Getty Images)
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast -- Two survivors of the New Year's stampede
in ivory Coast that killed 61 people say barricades that were set up
unofficially created the crush of thousands of people who were leaving a
fireworks display.
The two survivors, who are hospitalized at
Cocody Hospital, said Wednesday that after the fireworks they were
prevented from moving along the Boulevard de la Republic by wooden
barricades. Newspapers in Ivory Coast have speculated that the
roadblocks were set up so pickpockets could steal money and mobile
phones.
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara, who declared
three days of national mourning starting Wednesday, has ordered an
immediate investigation into the causes of the stampede. He said the
government would open a crisis center to help families find missing
people and to take testimony from witnesses.
Associated Press