These Shocking Tales of Human Stampedes Ended in Tragedy

These Shocking Tales of Human Stampedes Ended in Tragedy

Shannon Quinn - December 22, 2022

These Shocking Tales of Human Stampedes Ended in Tragedy
Many children lost their shoes when running away from the Throb nightclub disaster. Credit: New Frame

Throb Nightclub Disaster

The Throb nightclub disaster occurred on March 24, 2000. A panic broke out after the detonation of a tear gas canister at the Throb nightclub in Chatsworth, Durban in South Africa. Unlike most nightclubs, this night was filled with very young kids who went out dancing. There were 600 children from age 11-14 celebrating the end of term. The incident resulted in the demise of 13 children and 100 injured. The youngest to pass in the accident was just 11 years old. Vincent Pillay, Selvan Naidoo, and Sivanthan Chetty were accused for the incident. Naidoo and Pillay later admitted their involvement in the Durban High Court. Naidoo confessed that he put the canister behind the speakers after Pillay smuggled it inside the club. He said he was offered $1,000 and a job at Silver Slipper Club by Chetty, the manager there.

 

How did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:

Inside the World’s Deadliest Fireworks Accident. Jessie Guy-Ryan. Atlas Obscura. 2016

Crowd surge at a Who concert killed 11 people in 1979: ‘It was so strong, it just tore us apart’. Brittany Shamas. Washington Post. 2021.

Bethnal Green Tube Disaster: ‘I tried to black it out’. BBC. 2016.

Concert of Death : Cities Rethink ‘Festival Seating’ After Three AC/DC Fans Die. Chuck Philips. LA Times. 1991.

South Asia Stampede tragedy at Hindu shrine. BBC. 1999.

Throb nightclub tragedy: ‘It’s like it was yesterday’. New Frame. 2022.

 

Advertisement