Puerto Principe, February 18 (RHC-teleSUR) -- The last day of carnival in Haiti was cancelled Tuesday after a float collided with an electric cable, resulting in 16 deaths, said Prime Minister Evans Paul during a press conference.
Three days of mourning for the dead were declared and scheduled to begin Wednesday at midnight. A ceremony will take place on Saturday to pay tribute to the victims.
According to the first findings of the investigation and an amateur video posted on YouTube, the float of popular singer Fantom -– part of hip-hop band Barika Crew -– hit a high-voltage power line as it was passing President Michel Martelli’s stand, which was packed with spectators. The singer Fantom was sent to hospital and remains in stable but serious condition, according to the latest reports.
In Brazil, a similar accident occurred during Carnival on Tuesday in the Noca Iguacu suburb of Rio de Janeiro, when three men were electrocuted after a float hit a high-tension power cable.