Tragedy in Seoul: At least 149 killed in stampede | World | T.W.

At least 149 people died and 150 were injured in a stampede during Halloween celebrations in central Seoul (South Korea) this Saturday (10.29.2022), local authorities said. Firefighters said many of the injured were in critical condition, so they did not rule out the death toll rising as the hours ticked by.

The tragedy happened around 10:22pm local time (1:22pm GMT the same day) on Saturday near the Hamilton Hotel opposite Itaewon subway station. For unknown reasons, the crowd started pushing those ahead in a narrow alley next to the aforementioned hotel.

According to witnesses cited by South Korean media, a collective collapse occurred at the top of the slope, causing a chain collapse where dozens of people were crushed. Pictures posted on social networks show a large number of people trapped inside the aforementioned alley, while the emergency team tries to evacuate some of them.

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South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered first aid teams to the scene and asked hospitals to prepare to receive the injured, the president said. About 800 paramedics and rescue workers were dispatched from across the country, as well as all security forces in the South Korean capital.

The bodies of the victims, among them women in their 20s, were found at hospitals and a gym near the scene, where they were trying to identify them. Some sources say that the crowd gathered in Itaewon after rumors spread that an unidentified celebrity was coming to Itaewon.

Every year the Itaewon district, which is adjacent to the US military base, becomes the busiest place to celebrate Halloween in Seoul.

DZC (EFE, AFP, AP, Reuters)