“Survivors described being gradually compressed, unable to move, their heads ‘locked between arms and shoulders. Of being pinned against doors that won’t open and fences that won’t give. Survivors tell stories of gasping for breath, being pushed deeper under what feels like an avalanche of flesh as others, desperate to escape, climb over them. In 2005, 11 people were killed and around 60 others were injured at a pop concert in the southern city of Sangju.What is the experience of being swept into a crush of people like? This was the deadliest crushing disaster in South Korean history. The National Fire Agency separately said in a statement that officials were still trying to determine the exact number of emergency patients. More than 1,700 response personnel from across the country were deployed to the streets to help the wounded, including about 520 firefighters, 1,100 police officers and 70 government workers. On October 1, police in Indonesia fired tear gas at a soccer match, causing a crush that killed 132 people as spectators attempted to flee. It was also Asia’s second major crushing disaster in a month. Saturday’s deaths will likely draw public scrutiny of what government officials have done to improve public safety standards since the ferry disaster. It was partially blamed on excessive and poorly fastened cargo and a crew poorly trained for emergency situations. The sinking exposed lax safety rules and regulatory failures. In April 2014, 304 people, mostly high school students, died in a ferry sinking. The last South Korean disaster this deadly also hit young people the hardest. Jake Sullivan, the US national security adviser, tweeted that reports of the disaster were “heartbreaking” and said Washington “stands ready to provide the Republic of Korea with any support it needs.” While Halloween isn’t a traditional holiday in South Korea, where children rarely go trick-or-treating, it’s still a major attraction for young adults, and costume parties at bars and clubs have become hugely popular in recent years. The South Korean government eased COVID-19 restrictions in recent months. The bodies of the dead were being kept at 42 hospitals in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province, according to Seoul City, which said it will instruct crematories to burn more bodies per day as part of plans to support funeral proceedings.Īn estimated 100,000 people had gathered in Itaewon for the country’s biggest outdoor Halloween festivities since the pandemic began. The Chinese state news agency Xinhua said at least three Chinese nationals were killed. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry did not confirm the nationalities of those victims, but it said it alerted those countries’ embassies in Seoul. The dead included 19 foreigners, said Choi Seong-beom, chief of Seoul’s Yongsan fire department, whose jurisdiction includes Itaewon. Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know The city government said more than 2,600 people have called or visited a nearby city office as of Saturday afternoon, reporting missing relatives and asking officials to confirm whether they were among those injured or dead after the crush. There were concerns the death toll could grow as 24 people among the 104 being treated for injuries were in critical condition, according to Seoul City’s disaster headquarters. Witnesses said the streets were so densely clogged with people and slow-moving vehicles that it was practically impossible for emergency workers and ambulances to reach the alley near Hamilton Hotel swiftly. Tens of thousands of people were believed to have gathered in Itaewon for Halloween festivities. The crowd surge is the country’s worst disaster in years. A government official attaches a notice announcing the closure for victims near the scene of a deadly accident in Seoul Credit: AP
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