Eighteen killed, 80 injured in 'Love Parade' stampede in Germany

London, July 25 (ANI): Eighteen people have been killed in a stampede and about 80 injured in a stampede during an annual techno music festival 'Love Parade' at Duisburg, Germany.

"Something happened whether someone tripped or someone fell I don't know but there was a stampede to get to the other end and those who fell... well, many of them never got up again," News of the World quoted a 21-year-old eyewitnes Karl Lowenstein, as saying.

The tragedy began when cops tried to stop people from entering the already-jammed parade grounds on July 24, 2010.

Rescue squads had to fight their way through hordes of people, many of whom were inebriated and unaware of what was going on, to get to the fallen.

"But the crowd pushed forward crushing those in the underpass. I saw 25 people piled on top of one another, a huge heap. I cried. The people couldn't get any air. I saw the dead there," Krausgartner added.

Meanwhile, local authorities have declared a state of emergency. City officials have decided to continue with the event to prevent further panic.

The first Love Parade began in Berlin in 1989 as a peace demonstration in Berlin and gradually into a huge outdoor celebration of club culture. (ANI)