At least 30 people have died and dozens more were injured in a stampede at Citadelle Laferrière, a mountaintop fortress and UNESCO World Heritage site in northern Haiti, after a day of traditional festivities turned into a scene of chaos and grief.

The tragedy unfolded near the town of Milot, above the coastal city of Cap-Haïtien, where thousands had gathered for an annual celebration that draws students, families and pilgrims from across the country. Municipal authorities said the crowd swelled far beyond the site’s capacity, creating a crush of bodies in narrow passageways and steep approaches to the fortress.

In an official statement, local officials reported numerous cases of asphyxiation, trampling and loss of consciousness as people struggled to escape the tightening mass of visitors. Survivors described a sudden wave of panic rippling through the crowd, with some falling and others unable to move as pressure mounted from all sides.

“According to preliminary information, a situation of severe overcrowding, linked in particular to deficiencies in crowd management measures, triggered a stampede,” authorities said. Dozens of victims were rushed to nearby hospitals, while others were treated on the ground by overwhelmed first responders.

The Haitian National Police announced it has opened a formal investigation to determine how the event was organized, what safety protocols were in place and who, if anyone, should be held responsible. As the inquiry progressed, officials revised the toll several times before confirming that at least 30 people had died and many remained hospitalized.

Autopsies are being conducted to clarify the exact causes of death, though officials say most fatalities appear to be linked to suffocation and crush injuries. Police have urged the public to cooperate with investigators and to refrain from spreading unverified information that could inflame tensions or hinder the inquiry.

Haiti’s government issued condolences to the families of the victims and pledged support for the wounded. At the fortress, some bodies lay covered under makeshift shrouds as relatives searched frantically for missing loved ones.

Among them was Donaldson Jean, who had come to retrieve the body of his younger sister. She had earned her place on a school trip to the Citadelle through top grades and weeks of preparation. Jean wept as he carried her body, wrapped in a white tarp, down the stone path from the historic stronghold that had promised inspiration but ended in heartbreak.