Instead of exuberant joy, chaos reigns: mass panic breaks out at a Halloween celebration in Seoul. The authorities report 120 dead and 100 injured. Hundreds of rescue workers from all over the country are on duty.
According to the authorities, 120 people died in a mass panic in the South Korean capital Seoul. According to the fire department, 100 other people were injured in the incident. The condition of some of the injured is serious. The death toll could continue to rise. Several foreigners were also taken to hospitals.
During the celebrations, a large number of people fell in a narrow alley in the city center, the fire department said. The victims were then apparently crushed by a large crowd pushing forward on a narrow street during Halloween celebrations in the Itaewon district.
Images and videos posted on social media show victims lying on the sidewalk while bystanders try to revive them. The emergency call center said it received at least 81 calls from people struggling with shortness of breath. Choi Cheon-sik, an official with the National Fire Department, first told Sky News that about 100 people had been reported injured, including 50 in cardiac arrest.
The crowd stayed near the Hamilton Hotel, a popular party spot in the city, he said. More than 400 rescue workers from across the country are on duty, including almost all of those available in Seoul, Choi Cheon-sik added.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is currently on a European tour but decided to return home after the news, according to Sky News. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said in a statement that authorities should ensure prompt treatment for the injured and check the safety of festival sites. He also ordered the Ministry of Health to quickly dispatch emergency medical teams and secure beds in nearby hospitals to treat the injured.