Seven students were killed after a railing on a fourth-floor balcony collapsed at the Public University of El Alto in La Paz, Bolivia.

Horrifying footage from March 2 shows the moment the railing buckled as a large group of students attempted to enter a lecture hall through a narrow corridor.

Eleven students fell from the fourth-floor balcony and three students were confirmed dead at the scene while another five were taken to hospital.

Hospital officials later confirmed that two more students had been killed after suffering blows to the head and serious injuries to their internal organs.

The general commander of the police, Jhonny Aguilera, said in a press conference that the students killed in the incident are four men and three women between 21 and 23 years old.

A total of 11 students fell from a height of 16.7 metres and three of the remaining four are in intensive care, Aguilera added.

SHOTLIST:

1. Various of the tragedy at the University of El Alto, Bolivia
-Graphics images, edited images-

STORYLINE:

This Tuesday, seven students died when they fell into the void when a railing gave way at the Public University of El Alto (UPEA), in La Paz, Bolivia.

Leonel Jiménez, the El Alto police commander, reported that a total of eight people fell (six men and two women) from a fourth floor, and confirmed the death of three students, while another five were injured and taken to the Hospital. Dutch Bolivian from El Alto.

Later, the hospital authorities reported that two other people died at the health center. These young people suffered blows to the head and serious injuries to internal organs that caused their death. "The injuries prevented a satisfactory cardiopulmonary resuscitation," Maricruz Méndez, director of the clinic, told the Unitel news portal.

"There was an assembly with clashes, and between shoves, about eight colleagues from one of the railings fell," Andy Huanca, executive secretary of the UPEA workers, told Radio Fides.

According to Huanca, at the meeting financial issues were discussed and "the student centers that concluded their mandate were ratified," which led to verbal and physical dispute.

The accident occurred in the UPEA's Economic, Financial and Administrative Sciences Area building. And the first aid personnel and firefighters came to the place, who took the injured to the health center.

Jiménez indicated that the Special Crime Fighting Force arrived at the scene to investigate how the events occurred.

For its part, the UPEA reported through a statement that the University's Legal Directorate is collaborating with the investigation carried out by the police force. In addition, he said that the university authorities "have instructed an internal investigation" on this fact and "will provide collaboration on health issues of the affected students and other aspects."

At the end of the day, oither two deaths were confirmed, leaving a total of seven students death due to the accident.




The general commander of the Police, Jhonny Aguilera, detailed in a press conference that the deceased are four men and three women between 21 and 23 years old. Aguilera explained that in total, 11 students fell about 16.7 meters. The remaining four are admitted to nearby hospitals, three of them in intensive care.