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Four dead in Mexico City World Cup celebrations after team's victory
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฌ Singapore /Sports

Four dead in Mexico City World Cup celebrations after team's victory

From CNA · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Four people died in Mexico City during late-night street celebrations after Mexico beat Ecuador in a World Cup knockout match.
  • Three deaths were attributed to suffocation amid crowds of hundreds of thousands celebrating on Paseo de la Reforma.
  • A fourth person died in hospital from seizures and gastrointestinal bleeding after the match-day festivities.

Tragedy struck Mexico City as four people died amidst massive street celebrations following the national team's World Cup knockout stage victory. Hundreds of thousands of fans, estimated at around a million, thronged the capital's main avenue, Paseo de la Reforma, to watch Mexico's first World Cup knockout win in 40 years.

Mexico City's health department reported that three individuals died of suffocation at different locations along the boulevard, where giant screens had been erected. Emergency teams attempted resuscitation efforts, but a 19-year-old woman, a 44-year-old man, and a 48-year-old woman succumbed to their injuries. A fourth fatality involved a man in his 30s who was hospitalized with severe seizures and gastrointestinal bleeding, later dying from cardiac arrest.

Local media reports suggest that pyrotechnics may have triggered panic, leading to a deadly crowd crush. Videos circulating on social media depicted chaotic scenes, with people trapped and struggling to move in the dense crowds. The city government had previously implemented measures to enhance safety, including banning alcohol sales on match days and increasing the space between giant screens.

Despite these efforts, the celebrations, fueled by the team's progression in the tournament they are co-hosting, turned deadly. The Attorney General's office will investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths, and authorities will assess potential changes to safety protocols.

I don't agree with excessive celebrations. You can't let it affect others. Freedom has its limits, and those limits are where another person's freedom begins.

โ€” Patricia GarciaA 54-year-old housewife commenting on the celebrations amid the crowds.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.