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| China New Year's Eve crush: At least 36 killed and 47 injured in Shanghai stampede | China New Year's Eve crush: At least 36 killed and 47 injured in Shanghai stampede |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least 36 people have been killed and and 47 injured during New Year celebrations in Shanghai after hundreds of people stampeded, which may have been caused by a mass rush to grab fake money that had been thrown from a nearby building. | At least 36 people have been killed and and 47 injured during New Year celebrations in Shanghai after hundreds of people stampeded, which may have been caused by a mass rush to grab fake money that had been thrown from a nearby building. |
| Crowds of people had streamed into the Bund waterfront area of the Chinese city despite the planned large scale 3D laser display celebrations having been cancelled a week ago amid safety fears. | Crowds of people had streamed into the Bund waterfront area of the Chinese city despite the planned large scale 3D laser display celebrations having been cancelled a week ago amid safety fears. |
| State media and witnesses have said the incident at Chen Yi Square was at least partly caused when people scrambled for coupons that looked like dollar bills that were being thrown out of the window of a bar on the third floor of a building overlooking the Bund. | State media and witnesses have said the incident at Chen Yi Square was at least partly caused when people scrambled for coupons that looked like dollar bills that were being thrown out of the window of a bar on the third floor of a building overlooking the Bund. |
| A man who brought one of the injured to a local hospital said the fake money had been thrown down from the bar as part of New Year' Eve celebrations, which he claims triggered the stampede. But Shanghai police could not confirm the cause of the tragedy and have asked people to be patient, according to state television. | |
| Many of the dead and injured were students, and 28 of the dead were women, state media reported. | Many of the dead and injured were students, and 28 of the dead were women, state media reported. |
| A woman is held as people stand after the stampede | |
| The trouble is believed to have broken out about half an hour before midnight. Pictures published by Xinhua and on social media outlets showed several people lying on the floor with rescuers attempting to revive the injured as police tried to restore order. | The trouble is believed to have broken out about half an hour before midnight. Pictures published by Xinhua and on social media outlets showed several people lying on the floor with rescuers attempting to revive the injured as police tried to restore order. |
| State television cited others as saying the fake bills came fluttering down "like snow". | State television cited others as saying the fake bills came fluttering down "like snow". |
| Security guards hold a line to keep relatives away from the emergency area in a hospital "It's too cruel. People in front of us had already fallen to the floor, and others were stepping all over them," Cui Tingting, 27, told Reuters news agency. | Security guards hold a line to keep relatives away from the emergency area in a hospital "It's too cruel. People in front of us had already fallen to the floor, and others were stepping all over them," Cui Tingting, 27, told Reuters news agency. |
| The stampede appeared to have taken place close to the area where, according to the Shanghai Daily, a “toned-down” version of the New Year laser display was to have taken place. The show was intended to be for invited guests only rather than for the general public. | The stampede appeared to have taken place close to the area where, according to the Shanghai Daily, a “toned-down” version of the New Year laser display was to have taken place. The show was intended to be for invited guests only rather than for the general public. |
| "It was chaos, and there were only one-third of the number of police there compared with previous years," the Beijing News quoted one Shanghai resident as saying. | "It was chaos, and there were only one-third of the number of police there compared with previous years," the Beijing News quoted one Shanghai resident as saying. |
| Organised New Year celebrations have been taking place in the Bund area for the past three years and in 2013 they attracted almost 300,000 people. | Organised New Year celebrations have been taking place in the Bund area for the past three years and in 2013 they attracted almost 300,000 people. |
| A woman grieves in a hospital where some of the injured from the stampede were admitted Concerns about the size of the crowds and doubts that police could guarantee their safety led to the authorities cancelling this year’s official public display but thousands of revellers still headed there to celebrate the New Year.Shanghai's historic Bund riverfront, one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city, runs along an area of often narrow streets amid restored old buildings, shops and other attractions. It runs along the bank of the Huangpu River. The China Daily newspaper in February reported that the city's population was more than 24 million at the end of 2013. | A woman grieves in a hospital where some of the injured from the stampede were admitted Concerns about the size of the crowds and doubts that police could guarantee their safety led to the authorities cancelling this year’s official public display but thousands of revellers still headed there to celebrate the New Year.Shanghai's historic Bund riverfront, one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city, runs along an area of often narrow streets amid restored old buildings, shops and other attractions. It runs along the bank of the Huangpu River. The China Daily newspaper in February reported that the city's population was more than 24 million at the end of 2013. |
| Among the concerns that led to the cancellation of the big public laser display were the number of people crammed into a small area and the difficulties in dispersing them. The laser display was to have been beamed on to the walls of historic buildings for about ten minutes before culminating with midnight fireworks. | Among the concerns that led to the cancellation of the big public laser display were the number of people crammed into a small area and the difficulties in dispersing them. The laser display was to have been beamed on to the walls of historic buildings for about ten minutes before culminating with midnight fireworks. |
| People cry at a hospital after a stampede occurred during a New Year's celebration on the Bund, central Shanghai In its first year the display attracted an estimated 100,000 people but this had tripled by last year, with people crowding in hours before the show started. There were complaints that afterwards it took hours to get people out of the Bund, putting enormous pressure on public transport and leading to taxis hiking fares five-fold. | People cry at a hospital after a stampede occurred during a New Year's celebration on the Bund, central Shanghai In its first year the display attracted an estimated 100,000 people but this had tripled by last year, with people crowding in hours before the show started. There were complaints that afterwards it took hours to get people out of the Bund, putting enormous pressure on public transport and leading to taxis hiking fares five-fold. |
| The tragedy unfolded as Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a New Year address in which he vowed to continue reforms while maintaining the “rule of law”. He compared the twin aims to “a bird's two wings”. | The tragedy unfolded as Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a New Year address in which he vowed to continue reforms while maintaining the “rule of law”. He compared the twin aims to “a bird's two wings”. |
| He said there was “no turning back” from the path of reform but said it would only be achieved alongside strong laws designed to protect people's rights and interests, and social justice. By 2020, he said, the policies would ensure China has an “all-round well-off society”. | He said there was “no turning back” from the path of reform but said it would only be achieved alongside strong laws designed to protect people's rights and interests, and social justice. By 2020, he said, the policies would ensure China has an “all-round well-off society”. |