2 devotees dead, 44 hurt in Nazarene festivities

(Updated 10:20 p.m.) The usually chaotic Black Nazarene feast celebration claimed at least two fatalities on Wednesday afternoon. At least 44 other devotees are also being treated in a Manila hospital - some, for chest pains while others, for injuries. A radio report also said a female devotee expired while undergoing treatment in a government hospital hours after she collapsed amid throngs of fellow devotees. Radio dzBB reported that the woman, whose identity was withheld pending notification of her relatives, died of cardiac arrest at the Philippine General Hospital at 2:55 p.m. The woman collapsed near the Carriedo area in Sta. Cruz earlier Wednesday afternoon. Bystanders rushed her to the PGH after they initial efforts to revive her failed. Another devotee succumbed while in a hospital after he was trampled upon by other devotees during the procession, GMA Flash Report said. The report identified the second fatality as Alex Radovan, 44, who was rushed to the hospital after he fell and was trampled upon by other devotees when the crowd started to move backwards as the Nazarene image was being brought out of the church. The report said according to the victim's wife Marivic, who herself narrowly escaped injury ind the incident, the victim was unable to move after he was pinned against water containers. Doctors believe that the victim's heart condition made it harder for them to revive the victim. In the Ospital ng Maynila four others were rushed after either experiencing chest pains or getting injured during the procession. Last year, a male devotee died after falling into an open manhole during the procession. Stampede Nearly two dozens of devotees, including a six-year-old girl, were rushed to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila after suffering injuries in a stampede during the procession of the Black Nazarene. Radio reports said that at least 22 people were rushed to JRMMC after being trapped in a human pileup near a drugstore at Plaza Miranda, several meters from the Quiapo Church. Initial reports said that the human pileup happened just as the throng of devotees began pulling from all directions the ropes of the carriage where the image of the Black Nazarene was boarded. The victims suffered broken limbs and dislocated joints even as the young girl hurt in the incident was already declared out of danger. Other reports said several people also sustained wounds and scratches in the feet caused by crushed pieces of plastic water bottles that littered along the route of the procession. Even Vice President Noli De Castro, a Nazarene devotee of more than 30 years, was not spared from the plastic shards as he sustained a cut in the toe on his left leg. - GMANews.TV with a report from Mark Merueñas