According to emergency officials, at least 149 people were killed in a crush on Saturday, October 29 2022, night when a large crowd celebrating Halloween surged into an alley in Seoul’s nightlife district.
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According to Choi Sung-beom, head of the Yongsan Fire Station, 150 people were injured in the melee in Seoul’s Itaewon district.
According to officials, many of the injured were in critical condition and were receiving emergency treatment.
It was the first Halloween event in Seoul in three years, following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Many of the attendees were dressed up in masks and Halloween costumes.
As the evening progressed, some witnesses described the crowd becoming increasingly unruly and agitated. The incident occurred around 10:20 p.m.
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Witnesses described chaotic scenes moments before the stampede, with police on hand in anticipation of the Halloween event struggling to keep crowds under control.
An unidentified woman who claimed to be the mother of a survivor said her daughter and others were trapped in the alley for more than an hour before being rescued.
President Yoon Suk-yeol presided over an emergency meeting with senior aides and directed the formation of a task force to secure resources to treat the injured and to launch an extensive investigation into the disaster’s cause.
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