4 people die in Mexico City during celebrations after World Cup win
MEXICO CITY — Mexican health officials reported on Wednesday that four individuals lost their lives during the exuberant festivities in downtown Mexico City following the national team’s victory over Ecuador, securing a spot in the World Cup Round of 16.
Two women and a man were discovered unconscious on the streets near the renowned Angel of Independence monument, where throngs had gathered on Tuesday night to revel in the momentous occasion. The Health Secretariat of Mexico City disclosed on the social platform X that the victims, aged 48, 44, and 19, succumbed to asphyxiation. No further details regarding the circumstances surrounding their deaths were provided by authorities.
Subsequently, Mexico City Health Secretary Nadine Gasman revealed during a press briefing that another man, approximately 30 years old, was attended to by emergency responders after experiencing an epileptic seizure, convulsions, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Unfortunately, he passed away shortly thereafter at a hospital due to cardiorespiratory arrest.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada took to social media to convey that emergency teams promptly responded upon receiving reports of the three unconscious individuals, but tragically, they had already passed away.
Mayor Brugada also implored the public to commemorate events “responsibly, cautiously, and compassionately.”
The night sky illuminated around the Independence Monument — affectionately known as “El Ángel” — on Tuesday evening as thousands of Mexicans reveled along the 5-kilometer (3-mile) Paseo de la Reforma, connecting the capital’s central square, the Zócalo, with Chapultepec Park.
In a video shared on social media on Tuesday, Brugada estimated that approximately 1.4 million individuals partook in the celebrations on the streets and urged the populace to avoid converging in the city center to alleviate overcrowding. Instead, she recommended attending a concert featuring a prominent cumbia band in the eastern region of the city.
The entirety of Mexico City appeared engulfed in festivity on Tuesday night. Impromptu musical groups emerged on street corners, while carts laden with fireworks known as “toritos” navigated through densely packed streets, hindering movement for many.
Bottles of alcohol circulated among youthful celebrants as hordes attempted to edge closer to the city center, with some succeeding and numerous others deterred by the overwhelming crowd.
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