Two Haitian state officials have been dismissed following a stampede at a historic fortress that claimed 25 lives over the weekend, the Ministry of Culture and Communication announced on Tuesday.
The ministry sacked a director from the Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage for "serious negligence", along with a ministry director accused of "biased passivity". The tragedy occurred on Saturday at La Citadelle, a popular tourist site in northern Haiti, during an event promoted by a local DJ on social media and via loudspeakers on a vehicle.
In a statement, the ministry said the disaster resulted from administrative negligence and that the state would "fully assume its responsibilities". Dozens were injured; officials confirmed 30 of the hospitalised had been released by Monday evening.
Nine suspects have been arrested, including five police officers. Prosecutor Eno Zephirin of Cap-Haitien told Radiotélévision Caraïbes that the cause of the stampede is under investigation. Two of the suspects are employees of the heritage institute overseeing La Citadelle.
