Stampede causes 35 dead in New Year celebration
上海新年庆祝发生严重踩踏事故

At least 35 people have been killed and 48 injured in a stampede in Shanghai as crowds gathered to ring in the New Year. The tragedy at the Bund occured when people tried to pick up coupons thrown from a building. Of the 35 killed, 10 were male and 25 female. Most were between 16 and 36 years of age.

No one saw this coming.The last minutes of 2014, became the last minutes for many. At 11:35 pm on December the 31st, the crush at the Bund in Shanghai began suddenly.For many, there was nowhere to escape. Mr. Yang was among those who got trapped on the steps in Chen Yi Square.

Police rushed to the scene and began to take the injured to nearby hospitals. The crowd was so huge, police formed a human chain to clear some room for the injured to be given medical treatment.

An emergency rescue path was cleared to allow police vehicles and ambulances to pass through. The injured were taken to the nearby Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Changzheng hospital and Shanghai General Hospital. But for many, it was too late...

"Our hospital received altogether 28 people. 15 of them were dead on arrival. Four of the other injured are in a serious condition. They have severe crush injuries on the chest, and on the abdomen,"
Wang Xingpeng with Shanghai General Hospital said.

Most were young people out to celebrate New Year's night. 2015 didn't begin at all for many of them.