Thirty-five people died in a stampede during New Year's celebrations in downtown Shanghai, city officials said Thursday — the worst disaster to hit one of China's showcase cities in recent years.
A Shanghai government statement said another 43 people were injured amid the chaos about a half-hour before midnight. The deaths and injuries occurred at Shanghai's popular riverfront Bund area, which is often jammed with spectators for major events.
The official Xinhua News Agency quoted an unnamed witness as saying people had scrambled for coupons that looked like dollar bills that were being thrown out of a third-floor window. It said the cause of the stampede was still under investigation.
One photo from the scene shared by Xinhua showed at least one person doing chest compressions on a shirtless man while several other people lay on the ground nearby, amid debris. Another photo showed the area ringed by police.
"We were down the stairs and wanted to move up and those who were upstairs wanted to move down, so we were pushed down by the people coming from upstairs," an injured man told Shanghai TV. "All those trying to move up fell down on the stairs."
A laser countdown display that drew 300,000 to the area, known as the Bund, last year was canceled for this holiday because of the crowds, Shanghai Daily reported.
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