Online tool to stem accidental deaths at crowd gatherings

Researchers in Sydney and Tokyo have created a database of more than 280 crowd accidents, including multiple fatalities at religious festivals and sporting events. Their findings have been published in the Safety Science journal with the hope of reducing future mass casualties at large events. In the most recent deadly gathering, 12 people died and 500 were injured last month during a stampede at a football match in San Salvador. Last year a Halloween crowd crush in Seoul resulted in more than 150 deaths. And 24 years ago 97 British football fans at the Hillsborough Stadium disaster. University of New South Wales senior lecturer and crowd safety researcher Dr Milad Haghani says there are many ways that such tragedies could be averted.