At least nine people killed during music festival stampede in Guatemala

At least nine people, including two 12-year-old children, died in a stampede at a rock festival in the Guatemalan city of Quetzaltenango, authorities reported on Thursday. 

More than 10 bands were playing during a festival celebrating the independence day of Guatemala. However, the happy celebrations turned deadly during the early hours of Thursday. 

#Tragedia #Xela 🥀
En la zona 9 de #Quetzaltenango se realizaba un concierto, lamentablemente al finalizar la participación del grupo Bohemia Suburbana se formó una estampida humana, se reportan 9 fallecidos y 20 heridos, se reportan niños entre los fallecidos. pic.twitter.com/8HA8xtxgP6

— Diario de Los Altos (@DdeLosAltos) September 15, 2022

The concert was sponsored by local beer maker Gallo and held on a field that is often used for such events. As the last show was closing the event, some concertgoers were crushed while some tried to leave.

According to witnesses, the venue only had two exits, which created chaos when everyone rushed to leave. 

“Because of the rain there was a lot of mud,” she said. “I think because of this the people couldn’t move and they fell,” said concertgoer Nancy Quemé. 

“They closed off the whole area and only left two access (points),” Quemé said. “The entrances seemed really small to me. I stayed pretty far back and decided to leave minutes before the end of the concert.”

Videos on social media show the crowds smashing into each other as people call for help. 

WATCH: In the early hours of Thursday morning, a stampede at the end of a concert commemorating Guatemalan Independence Day in the western city of Quetzaltenango killed at least nine people and injured nearly 20 others.pic.twitter.com/Gcn0ik20ab

— BNN Newsroom (@BNNBreaking) September 16, 2022

First aid workers and firefighters quickly arrived at the scene to help those who were injured. 

Six other individuals were injured in the incident at the festival, according to the spokesperson for Guatemala’s Western Regional Hospital Maria del Carmen Sajquim. The victims were transported to the hospital, where many were found suffering from bone fractures. 

The deceased have not yet been identified, according to the Guatemalan newspaper Prensa Libre. 

The Quetzaltenango city manager, Amilcar Rivas, said that the event’s organizers did not plan out their security well and did not have control over the crowd.

#Centroamérica || #Guatemala: 9 morts et 20 blessés dans une bousculade après un concert
Lire la notice 👉 https://t.co/q2cfIZz0cH
📸 AFP pic.twitter.com/SrVYVGj0jR

— News Central (@_NewsCentral) September 16, 2022