Death Toll Reaches Above 150 After A Stampede Breaks Out In Halloween Party In Seoul
At least 149 people, mainly young adults and teenagers aged 20 to 30, died in a mass shooting as a large crowd celebrating Halloween gathered in an alleyway in the nightlife area in Seoul.
At least 149 people, mainly young adults and teenagers aged 20 to 30, died in a mass shooting as a large crowd celebrating Halloween gathered in an alleyway in the nightlife area in Seoul.
The press conference aftermath of the event with the head of the Fire Station of Itaewon, Seoul, stated that further 65 people had been injured due to the mass panic and stampede.
Nineteen of those injured were in severe health and receiving urgent treatment. The officials stated and added that the number of deaths could rise.
This was the only Halloween party in Seoul within three years since the country lifted COVID restrictions and social distancing. The majority of partygoers were dressed in masks and costumes for Halloween.
The crowd became more agitated and unruly as the night grew more intense. The incident occurred at approximately 10.20 p.m. (1320 GMT).
"Several people fell during a Halloween festival, and we have many casualties," Choi stated. A lot of the victims were close to the area of a nightclub.
Witnesses recounted chaotic scenes moments before the event, with police officers on the scene to prepare for the Halloween celebration, sometimes having difficulty keeping the order of the crowd.
The leading cause for the problem seems to be a narrow alleyway with clear indications of trouble before masses began appearing.
Social media videos revealed hundreds of people crammed in the narrow, steep alley in immobility and suffocation as emergency personnel and police attempted to help them get out.
Choi Choi, the Yongsan district fire chief, said that all deaths are likely to be due to the rumble in the one narrow alleyway.
Another video captured chaotic scenes of firefighters and residents treating dozens of unconscious people.
Witnesses and fire officials reported that people were still pouring into the narrow alleyway, which was already jammed to the wall after the ones on the uppermost part of the hill were thrown down, sending people below them falling over other people.
A woman who did not identify herself and said that she was the mom of one who survived told her daughter, as well as others, were held for over an hour before being freed from the alleyway crowd.
A witness to Reuters said that a temporary morgue was set up at a nearby building. Immediately after the incident, more than 50 bodies were rushed to the morgue or govt facilities.
Itaewon is a famous district for young South Koreans as well as expatriates. Hundreds of bars, restaurants and other establishments are packed on Saturdays in honor of Halloween.
Park Jung-hoon (21) said that he saw large crowds at Christmas and fireworks, but this scene was ten times larger than any of those." The casualties also saw the death of two foreigners. (UPDATE: Foreigners death toll has reached to 26)
U.S. President Joe Biden sent his condolences and said: "We mourn with the people of the Republic of Korea. We pray for a speedy recovery for all the injured."
Rishi Sunak, British Prime Minister, tweeted: "All of our thoughts are with the people currently responding and all South Koreans in this very distressing moment."
Authorities stated that they are investigating the cause of the incident. This disaster is the deadliest in the country since a 2014 ferry sinking killed 304 people, primarily high school students.
President Yoon Sukyeol presided at an emergency meeting with senior aides. He ordered a task force to be formed to secure resources for the injured and launch an investigation into the causes of the disaster.
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