| Follow us on:
|
![Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2015 shows the scene of a stampede that caused casualties among people who took part in new year celebrations in east China's Shanghai [Image: Weibo]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/B6OPRewCcAEkHjJ.jpg)
Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2015 shows the scene of a stampede that caused casualties among people who took part in new year celebrations in east China’s Shanghai [Image: Weibo]
Xi asked the Shanghai government to “go all out” to rescue and treat the injured.
The tragedy happened on a crowded square of Shanghai’s Bund tourist strip just around midnight on Wednesday.
“A profound lesson should be learned from the incident,” said Xi urging that authorities must ensure safety in public places. China is gearing up for the 15-day celebration of Chinese new year, key day on traditional calendar for ancestor worship and family reunion dinners.
25 of those killed in Wednesday’s accident were women, said Shanghai authorities. The metropolis is home to a population of over 23 million.
Police are already investigating into the tragic incident.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua quoted survivors as saying the stampede was triggered when some people started throwing coupons that looked like “US dollar banknotes” to those celebrating outside a bar in the windy night.
People standing along the river bank were in a scramble for the coupons which looked like $100 banknotes with “M18” printed in the middle, a reference to the bar of the same name on the Bund.
The Bund, a stretch of riverbank on the west side of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, is a popular destination for New Year celebrations, lined with historical architecture and skyscrapers.
Source: Agencies
