New Orleans emergency officials say that one person has been struck and killed by a parade float during the Endymion parade on Saturday.
The incident occurred near North Galvez and Canal Streets, reports WWL-TV.
New Orleans Police confirm an adult male was struck and killed by Endymion float #14. No other details were available at this time.
The Advocate reports that Float #13 is a tandem float called "Captain S.S. Eddie" that has three sections. NOPD announced Saturday in a press conference that officials are eliminating tandem floats from rolling in parades throughout the rest of this year's Carnival season until the city and police can look into better safety approaches.
Mayor Latoya Cantrell released a statement Saturday night, saying:
To be confronted with such tragedy a second time at the height of our Carnival celebrations seems an unimaginable burden to bear. The City and the people of New Orleans will come together, we will grieve together, and we will persevere together," said Mayor Cantrell. "Our hearts break for those lost and for their loved ones, and our prayers and deepest sympathies are with them - and will be with them in all the days and months ahead. May our people take this moment to uplift our brothers and our sisters, to mourn as one and to move forward, together.
Float #13 in Endymion was the final float; the remainder of the parade was canceled and remaining floats and other elements of the parade did not continue.
This is a developing story.
Emergency personnel are responding to an incident on the #Endymion route at Galvez. An individual was struck by a float and fatally injured. Please avoid this area of the parade route. ⚠️
— NOLA Ready #MardiGras (@nolaready) February 23, 2020
This is the second fatal accident during New Orleans' Carnival celebrations this year.
Wednesday, 58-year-old Geraldine Carmouche was struck and killed by a float during the Nyx parade.
That parade was stopped around the midway point.
Witnesses told local news outlets that the woman had apparently tried to cross between two sections of a tandem float when she tripped over a hitch, reports the Associated Press.
