Shocking incident in Seoul Stampede, South Korea, At least 120 people were killed and more than 100 injured when a large crowd trampled them down a narrow street ahead of the festival, officials said.
Choi Seong-beom, chief of Seoul’s Yongsan Fire Department, said the death toll could rise. Many of the injured suffered serious injuries.
He said 74 of the dead were sent to hospital and the bodies of the remaining 46 were being taken to a nearby gym, where they could be identified.
Officials said people were trampled to death after a large crowd gathered together in a narrow alley near the Hamilton Hotel, a major party spot in Seoul.
South Korean officials said at least 59 people were killed and 150 others injured when a large crowd converged on a narrow street during Halloween celebrations in the capital, Seoul.
Seoul’s Yongsan Fire Department, agency chief Choi Seong-beom, said the death toll could rise as emergency workers rushed injured victims to hospitals across Seoul in a stampede in the leisure district of Itawan on Saturday night.
More than 400 emergency personnel from around the country have been assigned to treat the injured, including all available personnel in Seoul. 140 vehicles are deployed.
A separate statement from the National Fire Agency said officials were still working to determine the number of emergency patients.
CCTV footage and photos from the scene show ambulances lined up on the road. Police presence and emergency workers are carrying the injured on stretchers. Emergency workers and bystanders were also seen performing CPR on people lying on the street.
In one department, paramedics were seen checking the condition of a dozen people.
Police across Seoul, who were restricting traffic in neighborhoods to transport the injured to hospitals, confirmed that dozens of people were being given CPR on Itaewon Street. An emergency text message was issued by the Seoul Metropolitan Government asking people in the area to return home quickly.
Some local media reports revealed that an unidentified celebrity was supposed to be there. Hearing this, a large number of people thronged the Etown bar, which led to the crash.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol issued a statement urging officials to ensure prompt treatment of the injured and review security at festival venues. He also directed the health ministry to quickly deploy disaster medical assistance teams and secure beds in nearby hospitals to treat the injured.
Local media reported that around 100,000 people thronged the streets of Etaon for Halloween festivities.