Seoul Crowd Surge Kills Over 100 On Halloween

(CTN News) – A large crowd pushing forward on a narrow street during Halloween festivities in the capital of Seoul crushed at least 120 people and injured 100 more, according to South Korean officials.

Choi Seong-beom, chief of Seoul’s Yongsan fire department, said the death toll could rise and an unspecified number of injured were in critical condition following Saturday’s stampede in Itaewon.

The bodies of 74 of the deceased have been taken to hospitals, while the bodies of 46 more are being taken to a nearby gym for identification.

A large crowd of people was crushed to death in a narrow alley near Hamilton Hotel, one of Seoul’s most popular party spots.

To treat the injured, more than 800 emergency workers and police officers from around the nation were dispatched to the streets, including all the personnel available in Seoul.

According to a separate statement from the National Fire Agency, officials are still attempting to determine the exact number of emergency patients.

TV footage and photos showed ambulance vehicles lined up in streets amid a heavy police presence and emergency workers moving the injured on stretchers. Emergency workers and pedestrians were also seen performing CPR on people lying in the streets.

Paramedics were observed checking the status of dozens of people who lay motionless under blue blankets in one section.

In addition to restricting traffic in nearby areas to allow injured patients to be transported to hospitals throughout the city, the police confirmed that dozens of people were receiving CPR on Itaewon streets.

Seoul Metropolitan Government issued emergency text messages urging people to return to their homes as soon as possible.

It was reported earlier in local media that the crush occurred after a large number of people rushed to an Itaewon bar after hearing that an unidentified celebrity had visited the location.

In a statement, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol urged officials to ensure prompt treatment for those injured and to review the safety of the sites of the festivities.

In addition, he instructed the Health Ministry to swiftly deploy disaster medical assistance teams and secure beds at nearby hospitals for the treatment of the injured.

Itaewon streets were packed with about 100,000 people for Halloween festivities, which were the largest after COVID-19 restrictions were loosened recently.

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