29/10/2022
www.w-enternews.com
On the afternoon of the 29th, in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, a large-scale accident, presumed to be crushed, occurred as a crowd gathered ahead of Halloween on the afternoon of the 29th.
According to the fire department, from 10:20 pm on the same day, rescue reports were received one after another, complaining of difficulty breathing, etc. near the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon.
The death toll continued to rise, with 149 people killed and two foreigners being killed. 19 people were seriously injured and 57 people were minor injuries.
The death toll is likely to rise as it is understood that among the injured others have been taken to the hospital in cardiac arrest.
The police have sent a forensic investigation team to the mortuary to determine the identity of the deceased and contact the bereaved family.
On the night of the 29th, a large-scale fatal accident near Itaewon, where hundreds of thousands of people gathered, was a predicted disaster.
At least 20 people were transported to a nearby hospital in cardiac arrest due to an accident presumed to be crushed at the World Food and Culture Street near the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, with injuries in several places.
This situation was confirmed to have occurred on the 28th, the day before the accident.
Even on the eve of the accident, thousands of people gathered on the road from the World Food and Culture Street to Itaewon Station Exit 2, less than 50 meters, making it difficult to walk. The alleys were filled with people who were drunk and couldn't control themselves properly, people trying to take pictures on the street, and waiting lines for restaurants.
During this process, as the congestion lengthened, some people pushed the person in front of them and moved, raising the voices between them, and some women were pushed by the crowd and fell. Fortunately, people near the woman shouted, "People have fallen, stop!" and the women were barely able to get up.
A 27-year-old office worker, Mr. Lee, said, "The weight of dozens of people fell in an instant, but even in a fallen state, the situation continued. It was dangerous,” he explained.
Earlier, Yongsan-gu Office and Yongsan Police Station took safety measures, such as designating World Food and Culture Street as a crowded and congested area, and installing additional safety guards at the vents around Itaewon Station with the Itaewon Special Tourism Zone Association. However, as hundreds of thousands of people gathered at once, the disaster could not be prevented.
The casualties were transferred to Soonchunhyang University Hospital, National Medical Center, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Gangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Chungang University Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, and Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced that it had formed the Accident Response Headquarters (Director Hwang Byung-joo, Chief Prosecutor's Criminal Division) and the Emergency Response Team (Chief Han Seok-ri, Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office) to respond to the Itaewon Halloween crushing disaster.
US President Biden's words of consolation, "deep condolences to Korea's tragedy" in Itaewon crushing disaster
