Mass stampede at Haitian tourist site leaves dozens dead.

Cannonballs at the Citadelle Laferrière, once stacked to defend against a feared French invasion, near Milo, Haiti on July 25, 2021. Haitian officials said at least 30 people had died during a stampede at the site on Saturday and that the toll was expected to rise. (Federico Ríos/The New York Times)

By ANDRÉ PAULTRE and EMILIANO RODRÍGUEZ MEGA

A tourist outing Saturday at Haiti’s most historic and famous fortress turned into chaos and then terror, after a stampeding crowd crushed dozens of people to death, authorities said.

Haitian officials said that at least 30 people had died during the stampede and that the toll was expected to rise. The tragedy unfolded around the appearance at the site of a social media personality known as Dopefresh, who produces streetwear and reflects on urban Haitian culture for his large followings on platforms like TikTok.

The stampede took place at the Citadelle Laferrière, a large 19th-century fortress in northern Haiti. Despite security threats elsewhere in the country, the region surrounding the fortress is considered one of the most stable and popular tourist destinations, mostly among Haitians.

“National authorities express their deep sorrow and immense sadness,” the office of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said in a statement. “All relevant authorities are fully mobilized and on high alert to provide immediate assistance, care and support to those affected and their families.”

Many in the country widely regard the Citadelle Laferrière as a symbol of sovereignty and resistance against French colonialism. The massive building was commissioned by Henri Christophe, Haiti’s first and longest reigning king, to defend the nation from another possible invasion, and it is sometimes known as Citadelle Henri Christophe.

The fortress is such a national landmark that it appears on Haitian currency, postage stamps and tourism promotions.

The site is known for receiving large numbers of visitors, especially during the holiday period around Easter. Video images posted to social media prior to the stampede showed throngs of visitors, mainly young people, arriving on Saturday at the Citadelle.

Haitian officials started an investigation to determine the exact circumstances under which the stampede took place, the minister of culture and communication, Emmanuel Ménard, said in an audio message, “so everyone knows what happened.”

Preliminary reports, he said, suggested that as rain started to fall Saturday, chaos broke out at the entrance of the fortress.

“While some people wanted to leave, others were trying to enter,” Ménard said. “People began pushing. Some fell, and others trampled over them. Consequently, some people died from suffocation.”

At least 13 bodies remained at the fortress, while 17 others were taken to a hospital in a nearby town, according to Ménard, who said that all visits to the fortress had been suspended until further notice. More people were receiving care at the hospital, he added.

Dopefresh, whose given name is Sébastien Joseph, attempted on Sunday to deflect blame for the tragedy. In a statement posted on social media, he acknowledged helping to organize the weekend outing to the Citadelle, and said the stampede was “devastating.”

“But I wasn’t there when it happened,” Joseph said. “I was already coming down the mountain. There was only one gate open for everyone to enter and exit, and when the rain started falling, everyone ran at the same time.”

Joseph added, “It wasn’t a question of my organization; it was a question of security at the site not being able to manage all those people.”