2nd person killed by Mardi Gras float this week
The first death took place on Wednesday.
For the second time in four days a person was struck and killed by a Mardi Gras float in New Orleans.
The accident on Saturday took place at about 6:50 p.m. local time on the Endymion route near University Medical Center New Orleans. The Krewe of Endymion is traditionally the largest parade of the season, with dozens of floats and thousands of people involved.
The city's emergency preparedness account tweeted the news and said the 13th float would be the last in the parade.
Police said only one person was struck. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Superintendent of Police Shaun Ferguson confirmed a man had been killed and said tandem floats would no longer be allowed in this parade season.
"To be confronted with such tragedy a second time at the height of our Carnival celebrations seems an unimaginable burden to bear," Cantrell said in a statement. "The City and the people of New Orleans will come together, we will grieve together, and we will persevere together."
A woman was killed on Wednesday during the Mystic Krewe of Nyx parade at about 9 p.m. when she was run over by a float.
The woman, identified by the city's coroner as Geraldine Carmouche, 58, was trying to cross the hitch between two floats when the back half struck and killed her. Floats 21 and 22 were involved in the accident, with the parade being called off after float 22.
"On such a joyous night, this is obviously a tragic occurrence. The parade takes a back seat when something like this happens on the route," Krewe captain Julie Lea told New Orleans ABC affiliate WGNO. "On behalf of the entire Krewe of Nyx, along with the city of New Orleans, we offer our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of the individual involved."
Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, is Feb. 25.
ABC News' William Mansell and Matt Foster contributed to this report.
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