A high school graduation day in Paterson, New Jersey, turned into a public safety debacle Monday as more than 150 people were overcome by extreme heat, prompting emergency officials to declare a “mass casualty incident,” according to The Guardian.

The disaster unfolded at the taxpayer-funded Hinchliffe Stadium, where hundreds gathered in sweltering 100-degree temperatures with a heat index of 107 to celebrate the milestone of graduating students. Local officials allowed ceremonies to proceed despite well-publicized heat advisories.

According to NBC, approximately 50 people required medical evaluation during one ceremony, and at least nine were hospitalized. In the following event, roughly 100 attendees were affected, with another seven sent to area hospitals. City leaders then scrambled to cancel or shorten the remainder of the day's ceremonies.

Paterson Public Schools claimed they had “on-site EMTs, cooling stations, water, ice, and wet paper towels” prepared. However, despite these efforts, chaos ensued.

“Despite these efforts, the high temperatures led to discomfort, and some attendees required medical attention. Emergency responders were immediately available and provided care,” the district insisted.

But that didn’t satisfy many parents and students who were left disappointed, and in some cases, alarmed.

“It was exhausting. I couldn’t breathe, like, my chest hurts,” said Ciarra Bailey of Rosa Parks High School, speaking to News 12 New Jersey.

Others accused school officials of poor planning, given the weeklong forecasts warning of a dangerous heatwave.

“They didn’t call nobody else’s name. They canceled it. All they did was say congratulations to everybody,” a frustrated attendee told CBS News.
“Everybody should’ve graduated last week when it was cool, because y’all knew this heat wave was coming,” she added.

After presiding over the failed event, Paterson’s Democrat Mayor André Sayegh issued a state of emergency on Instagram.

“Due to the extreme heat, I am declaring a state of emergency in our city,” Sayegh posted. “All recreational activities are canceled until further notice. Our libraries will serve as cooling centers, and water will also be available.”

Local meteorologists confirmed that the heat was among the most dangerous recorded in over a decade. The Weather Channel reported temperatures near 100 during the ceremonies, and Accuweather warned that the worst may not be over.

“Significant and dangerous heat continues today, with potentially some of the hottest temperatures in over a decade in some locations,” the outlet noted Tuesday.

The incident raises fresh questions about competence at the local level — particularly in Democrat-run cities where bureaucracy often trumps common sense and proactive leadership.