A mad rush to the playground turned into a stampede that left dozens of elementary schoolchildren hurt and one in critical condition in western China, state media and officials said.
Students at the No. 5 Elementary School in Aksu city were rushing downstairs for after-class exercises on Monday when some students fell, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Other students then pushed to squeeze through the narrow stairway, trampling on those that had fallen.
A guardrail also collapsed, sending some students falling into the stairwell, it said.
Xinhua reported that 41 students were admitted to Aksu’s No. 1 People’s Hospital for treatment, with one child in critical condition from internal injuries and six seriously injured. No deaths were reported.
It was unclear whether teachers or other adults were present during the incident.
