Traumatic asphyxial deaths due to an uncontrolled crowd at railway station: Two case reports.

ABSTRACT

Deaths in stampede accidents are not new in India. Majority of causalities occurred as a result of traumatic asphyxia in such cases. Traumatic asphyxia is a rare syndrome first described over 150 years ago by Olivier. It is caused by sudden compressive chest trauma and is associated with craniocervical cyanosis, facial edema and petechiae, sub-conjunctival hemorrhage, and neurological symptoms. Although minor incidents of jostling are common at railway stations, but deaths occurring consequent to stampede by an uncontrollable crowd is not very common. A stampede occurred at New Delhi railway station which results in death of two persons and injuring many. The autopsy findings along with circumstantial evidence, results in arriving of conclusion that these deaths occurs as a consequence of traumatic asphyxia. Various clinical features of this condition are described in the literature, a brief review of which is given in this article. In the conclusion few preventive measures are also suggested so that in future such tragedies can be averted.