Atleast 120 are feared to have been killed in a stampede at a well-known market in South Korea’s capital Seoul where residents had gathered for Halloween festivities, officials said. As many as 100 are said to have been injured.
Emergency forces including firemen and police officials were deployed to revive those that had gone into cardiac arrest amidst the chaos that erupted in the narrow streets. The crowd of around 1 lakh in headcount had gathered on Saturday night in Itaewon. According to people who witnessed the snarl, this is the first no-mask Halloween since the pandemic hit South Korean shores. Hence, there was more than expected footfall in the narrow lanes around the Hamilton Hotel.
Shocking videos on social media show emergency responders tending to dozens of people lying motionless in the streets of the city and giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. Seoul’s fire department chief Choi Seong-Beom said the death toll can increase. The incident took place near Hamilton Hotel, a party spot.
Scores of bodies covered with blue sheets were strewn across the street. The government has dispatched 400 emergency responders to tackle the situation.
More details are awaited.