This afternoon at a conference at the Primature Dr. Claude Suréna of the Haitian Red Cross provided new figures of the accident https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13199-haiti-flash-carnival-2015-in-shock-at-least-15-victims-dozens-injured-update-12-28-pm.html occurred this morning at 2:48 a.m., during the passage of the float of Group Barikad Crew "[...] The balance sheet that we have [...] after having toured the hospitals [...] is of 16 reported dead, identified and observed and 78 injured, I repeat victims, we are not talking about electrocuted, we will not say that all these people are people who have been burned, do not forget that after the accident there had movement of panic [...] now the second step will be to return to the hospital to find out in detail what each person has, to know what kind of support the government will do for each person [...]"

Then Prime Minister Paul Evans has intervened and declared the following "[...] it is clear that what's happened was an accident, the government that is responsible, will form a committee of experts to qualify the accident [...] right after there has been a support [to victims] at the Champ-de-Mars [...]

The first decision we have taken is to cancel Carnival festivities for today Tuesday, February 17 throughout the territory, there will be no Carnival.

But, together with the organizer of the Carnival, the Jazz, we will organize from 5 pm today on the de Champ-de-Mars, a white parade of all groups present in the Carnival, in white and silence in solidarity with the victims [...]

The government will also provide support for victims, injured people, the government will not drop them, we will continue to ensure that health services examines their case.

And the people who died, the government will take care of the funeral.

[...]

We plan to hold state funeral, this in consultation with families, we plan to do them Saturday, February 21.

We decree National mourning throughout the country from tomorrow Wednesday, February 18, mourning will last 3 days and will end on the day of collective state funeral Saturday, February 21 [...]"

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13199-haiti-flash-carnival-2015-in-shock-at-least-15-victims-dozens-injured.html

HL/ HaitiLibre