[Itaewon Disaster] Death Toll Rises to 151... 54 Men and 97 Women (Comprehensive Report 4)

After Identity Verification, Foreign Death Toll Rises to 19
82 Injured...19 Seriously Injured, 63 Slightly Injured
Death Toll May Increase...Most Victims in Their Teens and Twenties

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] A massive crush disaster occurred as a huge crowd gathered at a festival held ahead of Halloween Day in the Itaewon area of Yongsan-gu, Seoul. The accident resulted in a staggering 151 deaths and 82 injuries.

According to the fire authorities, as of 9 a.m. on the 30th, a total of 233 casualties were reported, including 151 deaths. Earlier, as of 4 a.m., there were 149 deaths and 76 injuries. Among the deceased, 54 were male and 97 were female.

Among the 82 injured, 19 were seriously injured and 63 had minor injuries. The fire officials explained that the seriously injured include patients in cardiac arrest, who may be reclassified as deceased. Most of the victims were identified as being in their teens and twenties.

The number of foreign nationals among the deceased rose to 19. The nationalities of the deceased were identified as Iranian, Uzbek, Chinese, Norwegian, and others. A fire official explained, "Asian individuals were initially considered Korean, but after identity verification, they were identified as foreigners, increasing the count."

Ahead of Halloween, on the 30th, a massive crush disaster occurred in the Itaewon area. Police forces are controlling the scene and moving busily in the Itaewon area of Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

The bodies of the 151 deceased were distributed and placed in 39 hospitals in the metropolitan area, including Gangnam Severance and Seoul National University Hospital. Initially, 46 bodies found at the scene and those who were declared dead after being transferred to hospitals were moved to Wonhyo-ro Multipurpose Gymnasium, but later arrangements were completed for each hospital morgue, according to the fire authorities. Currently, missing person reports are being accepted at the Hannam-dong Community Center in Seoul. Earlier, injured patients, including those in cardiac arrest, were transported to 20 nearby hospitals such as Soonchunhyang University Hospital and the National Medical Center for treatment.

The crush accident occurred around 10:15 p.m. the previous day in the Itaewon area of Seoul, resulting in multiple cardiac arrest patients. The fire authorities responded to the scene within two minutes of receiving the report, and by 11:30 p.m., 81 rescue calls related to breathing difficulties and other issues had been received. It was reported that 21 people near the Hamilton Hotel were receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at that time.

The accident is presumed to have occurred in an alley near Itaewon Station to the left of the Hamilton Hotel, where citizens became entangled with each other. The alley where the accident occurred was so narrow that it was only about five adult male steps wide. The fire authorities conducted three search operations centered around the accident site but reported no additional casualties or unusual findings.

On that day, numerous parties were held throughout the Itaewon area ahead of Halloween Day, drawing an estimated crowd of over 100,000 people according to police estimates. Because of this, many people did not realize the severity of the situation immediately after the initial accident. It was only after 11 p.m., when cardiac arrest patients suddenly surged, that the tragedy was recognized.

Citizens present at the scene described how people fell and piled up about five to six layers deep. A man in his twenties, Mr. Kim, said, "I was pushed from behind and got caught between the person in front and the person behind," adding, "People screamed and shouted 'Help me,' and it turned into chaos in an instant."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The fire authorities issued a Level 1 response at 10:38 p.m. on the day of the accident and escalated it to Level 3 from 11:50 p.m. A total of 2,692 personnel and 233 pieces of equipment were deployed for rescue and recovery operations in cooperation with the police and others.

Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, convened an emergency crisis meeting immediately after the accident, ordered the full mobilization of available personnel, and instructed traffic control and safety measures to aid the victims. He also demanded a strict investigation into compliance with safety measures and accountability from local governments and event organizers.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency plans to form a separate investigation headquarters to conduct inquiries, with Kim Kwang-ho, Chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, reportedly directing operations at the accident site. The police have also established a disaster response headquarters led by the Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency to focus on identifying victims and supporting bereaved families and victims.

During the Halloween period, the police deployed about 200 personnel to monitor the area in preparation for any possible incidents or accidents. On that day, the police had initially planned to conduct drug raids targeting nearby clubs but canceled them due to the crush accident.