Developing: Pakistani Plane Escorted by UK Fighter Jets — 2 Men Arrested

Doc Thompson’s 24-hour radio marathon, ‘#24forok,’ continues until 9 am ET — Listen Live!

World

Horror: 61 Dead in New Year’s Eve Stampede

Jan. 1, 2013 6:07pm Becket Adams

61 killed in New Years stampede in Ivory Coast

An Ivory Coast troop stands next to the belongings of people involved in a deadly stampede in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Tuesday, Jan. 1 2013. At least 61 people were killed early Tuesday in a stampede following a New Year’s fireworks display in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s commercial center, said officials. The death toll is expected to rise, according to rescue workers. (AP Photo/Emanuel Ekra)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (TheBlaze/AP) — A crowd stampeded after leaving a New Year’s fireworks show early Tuesday in Ivory Coast’s main city, killing 61 people — many of them children and teenagers — and injuring more than 200, rescue workers said.

Thousands had gathered at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan’s Plateau district to see the fireworks. It was only the second New Year’s Eve fireworks display since peace returned to this West African nation after a bloody upheaval over presidential elections put the nation on the brink of civil war and turned this city into a battle zone.

With 2013 showing greater promise, people were in the mood to celebrate on New Year’s Eve. Families brought children and they watched the rockets burst in the nighttime sky. But only an hour into the new year, as the crowds poured onto the Boulevard de la Republic after the show, something caused a stampede, said Col. Issa Sako of the fire department rescue team. How so many deaths occurred on the broad boulevard and how the tragedy started is likely to be the subject of an investigation.

Many of the younger ones in the crowd went down, trampled underfoot. Most of those killed were between 8 and 15 years old

“The flood of people leaving the stadium became a stampede which led to the deaths of more than 60 and injured more than 200,” Sako told Ivory Coast state TV.

Injured people are seen at a hospital with their family members standing with them, after they were involved in a stampeded in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Emanuel Ekra)

Desperate parents went to the city morgue, the hospital and to the stadium to try to find missing children. Mamadou Sanogo was searching for his 9-year-old son, Sayed.

“I have just seen all the bodies, but I cannot find my son,” said a tearful Sanogo. “I don’t know what to do.”

State TV showed a woman sobbing in the back of an ambulance; another was bent over on the side of the street, apparently in pain; and another, barely conscious and wearing only a bra on her upper body, was hoisted by rescuers. There were also scenes of small children being treated in a hospital. One boy grimaced in pain and a girl with colored braids in her hair lay under a blanket with one hand bandaged. The death toll could rise, officials said.

Ivory Coast First Lady Dominique Ouattara, center left, speaks with a person injured in a stampede as they are treated at a hospital in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Tuesday, Jan. 1 2013. (AP Photo/Emanuel Ekra)

After the sun came up, soldiers were patrolling the site that was littered with victims’ clothes, shoes, torn sandals and other belongings. President Alassane Ouattara and his wife Dominique visited some of the injured in the hospital. Mrs. Ouattara leaned over one child who was on a bed in a crowded hospital ward and tried to console the youngster. The president pledged that the government would pay for their treatment, his office said.

The government organized the fireworks to celebrate Ivory Coast’s peace, after several months of political violence in early 2011 following disputed elections.

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

All photos courtesy the AP.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (55)

RestoreCapitalism
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:51pm
Obviously tighter shoe control legislation is needed.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Apple Bite
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 7:22am
It’s Bush’s fault and Romney bought those fireworks, right Liberal Zombies?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- poorrichard09
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 8:52am
  The Darwin Effect.
  
  Report this comment
- cmonnow
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:45am
  no – it’s the fault of a poorly planned event in a country that has been torn by civil war.
  
  Report this comment
LameLiberals
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 7:04am
Looks like a typical K-Mart or Wal-Mart sales event where people stampede to get inside to the point of killing store workers and each other. With the exception of the poor store employees who are hurt/killed – good riddance to rest of the trash and that includes the fools in this article.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Grannie4news
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:48am
@Cmonnow: Who is paying your sorry arse to be a Troll?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
GuruMeditation
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 11:59pm
Like a herd of animals.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- cmonnow
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 12:25am
  said like a true racist pig
  
  Report this comment
- Ditto Head
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:53am
  Taking children into a mob of overexcited people? Not too bright. I keep my children at home with me every New Years Eve, and guess what? They’ve never been trampled/stampeded/injured/hit-by-a-drunk or fill-in-the-blank. Jiminy Cricket! Why don’t people just use some common sense?
  
  Report this comment
- ThoreauHD
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 4:37am
  That could be Obama’s son!
  
  Report this comment
- GuruMeditation
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:33am
  @cmonnow: There is nothing “racist” about it. Civility is civility and is colorblind. Stampedes that kill the young and old are not civil. It’s behavior like unto a herd of animals.
  
  Report this comment
- cmonnow
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:40am
  you people are such morons.. this is a country that has been war torn for the better part of a decade. kids are lucky if they have parents there..
  
  Report this comment
- GuruMeditation
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 6:17pm
  @cmonnow: Our domestic children are lucky if they have parents. Your point again?
  
  Report this comment
txbigfoot
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 11:03pm
ban stampedes they kill people.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- cmonnow
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 11:28pm
  such a ridiculous comment – but, in all honesty, there is a hint of truth. in 2009, there was a similar tragedy in Ivory Coast that left 19 dead. the country has been war torn for years and large scale events have ended in violence. here, the people stampeded because of fear of security forces – men with automatic weapons. so yes, maybe such events should be banned in Ivory Coast until they can be safely conducted. Just like here in the United States we should make better efforts to ensure that we have a “well regulated militia” as called for by our Constitution. We snicker at them for stampeding each other to death, the rest of the world laughs at us for having weapons so readily available to anybody who wants one and have the shooting deaths to show for it..
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 3:08pm
  They have actual autos, whereas we are regulated by knee jerk reactionary jerks. What does shall no be infringed mean to the rest of the stampeding world? Lil, lot, mostly regulated?
  
  Report this comment
AnAmerican111
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 10:30pm
Bunch of stupid people! Guess you cant expect much more based on where the Country is located.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- cmonnow
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 11:29pm
  anamerican – you are bigoted and silly. but, just like when we have mass shootings here in the U.S., the rest of the world says the same thing that you just did – “what can you expect from a country of fat, lazy spoiled halfwits with such easy access to weapons?”
  
  Report this comment
Cavy2see
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 10:18pm
So sorry for these people they have suffered a lot from past horrific trauma…with army conflict…some happiness for the poor little ones…so sad…and the photo of no sheets on gurnies…how awful no sanitary sheets for these poor folks…God help us…so sad…

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Priscilla King
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 12:07pm
  Color-printed sheets can be sanitary (before they’re put over damaged bodies) but it’s nice that somebody’s aware that not every Blaze story is funny. All Christians should be praying for those bereaved parents, and for their government, that natural anger doesn’t push violence out of hand again.
  
  Report this comment
boarslayer
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 10:10pm
If you do 30 seconds worth of research you can see the truth for what it is. This “stampede” accident was not the first time to have happen. There have been other huge venue’s one of them being the FIFA soccer event, among other’s. The last time it happened the government in their divine wisdom fined the FIFA organization. What happen to the money they received, did it go to the families? Don’t know. Maybe it went into a general health fund for disaster relief (you know in case it happens again). NOPE. There is no record of it. Why? These people were trampled like dogs in the street and sadly won’t have any outrage. Because if you beat a dog long enough he accepts his station in life and becomes a mongrel. These people have been treated horribly by their government for so long that they don’t even know when they are being neglected. I say God has had mercy on those that died and has delivered them from evil. Rest in peace sweet souls.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Cavy2see
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 10:21pm
  Was that in the same country? I am not sure…I thought it was in South Africa…not sure…this is Ivory Coast…I will try to look it up…
  
  Report this comment
Gavinwcaf
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 9:33pm
Outlaw their feet, make them register their shoes and socks. If they had not of had shoes on that many people would not have been injured and killed.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- cmonnow
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 11:31pm
  or maybe don’t have huge events in a country without the resources to conduct one safely. kinda similar to don’t sell guns to irresponsible people who may be mentally ill or lacking of integrity.
  
  Report this comment
thegreatcarnac
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 9:21pm
Blacks running, stampeding, and killing people. Hmmmm…happens even in Africa and very few whites to blame for it. Certainly can’t blame racism and past slavery. Maybe it is inherent.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- cmonnow
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 11:32pm
  yeah – like when there are mass shootings by mentally unstable people in Northern Europe and the United States. must be genetic..
  
  Report this comment
- Gdubya316
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 8:47am
  The difference is one statement is an exception and one is the rule.
  
  Report this comment
- cmonnow
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:32am
  right.. as a general rule, blacks stampede each other all over the world
  
  Report this comment
- Priscilla King
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 12:10pm
  If mobs are a Black thing, why did the Romans invent the word “mobile vulgus” and why have the English found so much use for a shortened form of this word?
  
  Report this comment
Parnell3rd
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 8:55pm
This is tragic! How come President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg are silent on this tragedy? Will hollywood ******** make a film on action now against fireworks and walking?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
ChiefGeorge
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 7:36pm
Incredible horrible for all those involved. This is not the time for silly comments!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Techcon
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 10:00pm
  The exploitation of any tragedy to enact new laws that A) would not have prevented said tragedy nor B) prevent future tragedies is what’s SILLY.
  
  Report this comment
- Priscilla King
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 12:10pm
  Dittos.
  
  Report this comment
Diane TX
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 7:25pm
How horrible for all involved. It’s especially sad that so many children were killed.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
The-Monk
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 7:18pm
Whenever I see stories about death and/or stampedes I expect to see Geraldo Rivera someplace in the background….

Very sad story : (

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Bodacious_Boedi
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 7:01pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Love it!!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- cmonnow
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 11:36pm
  idiot
  
  Report this comment
Tri-ox
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:40pm
Meanwhile, back in America …

‘Gun Free Zone’ liberal mecca of Chicago closes out the year with 532 murders …

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/report-532-murdered-chicago-2012_693417.html

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- nesmond
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 7:39pm
  Yeah, I heard they were worried whether or not they could break that “500″ mark. Good for them.
  
  Report this comment
tharpdevenport
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:38pm
Sounds like that country needs stricter walking laws. After all, if they didn’t have legs, all those people would still be alive, so either tougher walking regulations, or just amputeeing (hey, according to the OBamanator, our doctors woudl do it for money reimbursement).

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- loriann12
  Posted on January 2, 2013 at 8:33am
  Maybe they need TSA to set up stations so they can’t get out as fast…..have to pause and get patted down/moleted…oh wait, the next day they found clothes lying on the ground? I guess TSA was there…/sarcasm off
  It is still sad that there have only been 2years of peace, and this happens.
  
  Report this comment
rangerrebew
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:37pm
Its time for congress to pass anti-stampede laws before a tragedy like this occurs here. Be prepared!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
BlasberryStrat
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:30pm
This is the straw that broke the camel’s back! THAT’S IT….ban ALL human beings….

It’s not people that kill people, it’s people that kill….uhhhh….whoops….

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- gyro
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:42pm
  not nice to make fun of dead children anywere in the world
  
  Report this comment
- BSdetector
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:46pm
  It’s not nice to create a strawman argument either.
  
  Report this comment
Just in time
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:27pm
This is exactly why you will never find me in Time square on New Years.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Cavy2see
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 10:15pm
  I know don’t like being pushed even gently…I went to europe/Rome…and on the bus I got separated from my husband without walking away from him…just nugged over 15 ft. away…on that slow riding city bus…
  
  Report this comment
whatthecrazy
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:24pm
Stampedes are very scarey,I was in a crowded kroger store one time when they had a bomb threat,over the intercom they asked us to slowly exit the store at which point every body began pushing and shoving and i became seperated from my six year old while holding my three year old.I can see how these people were injured and some killed.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Bodacious_Boedi
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 7:04pm
  I’ve been caught in a “swarm” of people suddenly panicked. I hate to say this, but I threw a few elbows, dropped some people to block the “current” and I stepped out of the main traffic. Crude and selfish…….? Yeah. Effective and maybe life saving? Yeah.
  
  Report this comment
Hoax And Chains
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:18pm
Simple answer… countries everywhere need to ban fireworks displays so this senseless tragedy does not happen again… liberal logic.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- FreeCarolJoy
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:32pm
  Yep, fireworks kill. Great idea for the politicians for sure.
  
  Report this comment
- subic
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 8:11pm
  Yup, people live and die every day by many different means. Maybe the political hacks that think they rule us should ban public gatherings. For some odd reason, they are hell bent on banning our firearms. Cars kill, stampedes kill, drowning kills, suicide kills, & on & on & on. Seem like the elitists don’t really care about the deaths of so many people by so many causes, BUT they dang sure want our guns!
  
  Prayers out to the slaughtered victims of this stampede.
  
  Report this comment
kung
Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:12pm
Where else?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- 1776freedomofspeech
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:17pm
  Good one. Story is old news. Wonder who is editing the stories now at the Blaze?
  
  Report this comment
- gyro
  Posted on January 1, 2013 at 6:41pm
  yes this is 6 hr old news
  
  Report this comment

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.