Mexican health officials announced Wednesday that three people died from asphyxiation amid enormous street celebrations in downtown Mexico City, following the national soccer team’s win over Ecuador that earned them a spot in the World Cup Round of 16.
According to Mexico City’s Health Secretariat, two women and one man were discovered unconscious on streets near the famous Angel of Independence monument, where tens of thousands had gathered Tuesday night to mark the victory. The three victims, whose identities were not released, were 19, 44, and 48 years old. Officials offered no further details regarding the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada stated on social media that emergency responders rushed to the scene after reports came in about the three unconscious individuals, but by the time crews arrived, all three had already died.
Mayor Brugada also took the opportunity to appeal to the public, asking residents to celebrate “responsibly, carefully and with empathy.”
The night sky above the Independence Monument — affectionately called “El Ángel” by locals — was filled with fireworks as crowds flooded the 5-kilometer (3-mile) Paseo de la Reforma boulevard, which connects the capital’s central Zócalo square to Chapultepec Park.
In a video shared to social media on Tuesday, Brugada estimated that roughly 1 million people had taken to the streets and urged residents to stop heading toward the city center to reduce dangerous overcrowding. She encouraged revelers instead to attend a concert featuring a well-known cumbia band on the city’s eastern side.
The entire city appeared overwhelmed by the scale of the celebrations Tuesday night. Street musicians set up spontaneously on corners throughout the area, while carts carrying firework rockets known as “toritos” slowly navigated through streets so densely packed that movement was nearly impossible. Bottles of alcohol were passed between young revelers as hundreds more attempted to push their way toward the city center — some making it through, many turned away by the sheer volume of the crowd.
