SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Not less than 120 individuals have been killed and dozens extra have been injured after being crushed by a big crowd pushing ahead on a slim road throughout Halloween festivities within the capital Seoul, South Korean officers stated.
Choi Seong-beom, chief of Seoul’s Yongsan hearth division, stated the loss of life toll may develop as emergency staff have been persevering with to move the injured to hospitals throughout Seoul following the stampede within the leisure district of Itaewon Saturday evening.
Choi stated lots of the lifeless have been despatched to hospitals whereas some our bodies have been nonetheless on the streets.
Officers say it was believed that folks have been crushed to loss of life after a big crowd started pushing ahead in a slim alley close to Hamilton Lodge, a serious occasion spot in Seoul.
Officers from the Nationwide Fireplace Company and the Ministry of the Inside and Security had earlier stated about 100 have been injured and round 50 have been being handled for cardiac arrest as of early Sunday, although the variety of injured has continued to develop.
Greater than 400 emergency staff and 140 autos from across the nation, together with all out there personnel in Seoul, have been deployed to the streets to deal with the injured.
The Nationwide Fireplace Company individually stated in a press release that officers have been nonetheless attempting to find out the precise variety of emergency sufferers.
TV footage and pictures from the scene confirmed ambulance autos lined up in streets amid a heavy police presence and emergency staff transferring the injured in stretchers. Emergency staff and pedestrians have been additionally seen performing CPR on individuals mendacity within the streets.
In a single part, paramedics have been seen checking that standing of a dozen or extra individuals who lied immobile underneath blue blankets.
Police, which have been proscribing site visitors in close by areas to hurry up the transportation of the injured to hospitals throughout the town, additionally confirmed that dozens of individuals have been being given CPR on Itaewon streets. The Seoul Metropolitan Authorities issued emergency textual content messages urging individuals within the space to swiftly return dwelling.
An area police officer stated he was additionally knowledgeable {that a} stampede occurred on Itaewon’s streets the place a crowd of individuals gathered for Halloween festivities. The officer requested anonymity, saying the main points of the incident have been nonetheless underneath investigation.
Some native media reviews earlier stated the crush occurred after a lot of individuals rushed to an Itaewon bar after listening to an unidentified celeb visited there.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued a press release calling for officers to make sure swift remedy for these injured and evaluation the protection of the festivity websites. He additionally instructed the Well being Ministry to swiftly deploy catastrophe medical help groups and safe beds in close by hospital to deal with the injured.
Native media stated round 100,000 individuals flocked to Itaewon streets for the Halloween festivities, which have been the most important for the reason that begin of the pandemic following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in latest months.
