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Shanghai crush: Xi Jinping orders new year investigation | Shanghai crush: Xi Jinping orders new year investigation |
(about 9 hours later) | |
China's President Xi Jinping has demanded an investigation into Shanghai's New Year's Eve crush that killed 36 people and injured 47. | |
The crush happened in Chenyi Square in the Bund district, where huge crowds had gathered for the countdown. | |
The turnout was much higher than predicted, and Shanghai police said they regretted their failure to intervene in time, state media said. | |
Police are investigating what sparked the crush. | |
The government cancelled New Year's Day festivities in Shanghai. | |
Xi Jinping told Shanghai officials to provide an explanation for Wednesday's fatalities as soon as possible, and to "go all out" in efforts to treat the injured, state media reported. | |
Mr Xi added that local officials around China should ensure that no repeat of the Shanghai incident could occur elsewhere during the upcoming Lunar New Year festival. | |
'Fewer police' | |
The crush began at about 23:35 local time (15:35 GMT) on Wednesday. | |
Investigations are expected to examine how Shanghai police managed the new year crowds. | |
Official New Year celebrations had already been cancelled at the Bund due to fears of overcrowding, state-run news agency Xinhua said, citing local officials. | |
However, despite the cancellation, there were "far more" people in the area on Wednesday evening than predicted, with a crowd size similar to the countdown in 2013, it added. | |
Close to 300,000 people reportedly turned up for New Year's Eve celebrations in the area a year ago. | |
Shanghai police said that about 700 police officers were located in the area, and 500 were deployed after overcrowding was seen near Chenyi Square, Xinhua reported. | |
The police expressed regret that they had not managed to "effectively intervene" when the flow of tourists in the area "increased irregularly" at 23:30 (15:30 GMT), the news agency added. | |
Cai Lixin, a deputy police commander, said in quotes carried by Chinese media that there had been fewer police deployed than for some other events. | |
"There were no formal events planned yesterday, so we did not arrange for as many police officers as last year's national day," he said. | |
'People screaming' | 'People screaming' |
The crush centred on a stairway leading to a viewing platform near the waterfront, as people tried to get up and down the steps, state broadcaster CCTV said. | |
A local resident, identified as Sarah, told AFP news agency "people were screaming... and people [started] jumping off the staircase to get clear." | A local resident, identified as Sarah, told AFP news agency "people were screaming... and people [started] jumping off the staircase to get clear." |
She added: "There was a quiet, and then people on the stairs fell in a wave." | She added: "There was a quiet, and then people on the stairs fell in a wave." |
Gaby Gabriel, an American photographer living in Shanghai, told the BBC: "It was a tremendous amount of people moving in all different directions. | Gaby Gabriel, an American photographer living in Shanghai, told the BBC: "It was a tremendous amount of people moving in all different directions. |
"It seemed some people were trying to move away from the river and some people were trying to go towards the river and there was no order whatsoever, no guidance." | "It seemed some people were trying to move away from the river and some people were trying to go towards the river and there was no order whatsoever, no guidance." |
However, Shanghai police denied social media reports that a stampede was triggered by people stopping to pick up fake money thrown from the balcony of a nightclub. | However, Shanghai police denied social media reports that a stampede was triggered by people stopping to pick up fake money thrown from the balcony of a nightclub. |
In a statement, police said that video footage showed that the bills had been thrown after the crush took place. | In a statement, police said that video footage showed that the bills had been thrown after the crush took place. |
Angry relatives | |
Shanghai's city government said that the identification process for victims of the crush had begun. | Shanghai's city government said that the identification process for victims of the crush had begun. |
A Taiwanese person was among the dead, and there were two Taiwanese and one Malaysian among the injured, it added. | A Taiwanese person was among the dead, and there were two Taiwanese and one Malaysian among the injured, it added. |
A Malaysian student in China also died in the crush, Malaysia's foreign ministry said. | |
Many of the dead are believed to be students, state media report. | |
Some relatives have criticised the authorities, saying they were not kept informed, AP news agency said. | |
"We were told my sister was still being rescued the minute before we were taken to the morgue, where she had been lying dead, clearly for a while,'' Cai Jinjin, whose cousin Qi Xiaoyan was among the dead, told the agency. | |
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