[Itaewon Tragedy] Dozens Perform Simultaneous CPR on the Street... Devastating Scene

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@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Eyewitness accounts related to the large-scale crush accident that occurred in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, ahead of ‘Halloween Day’ are continuously being posted on online communities and social media. It is reported that many citizens made desperate efforts to manage the accident amid the chaotic situation caused by the massive crowd.

According to online communities and social networking services (SNS) on the 30th, many ordinary citizens performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for those who lost consciousness at the accident site the previous day.

Summarizing the eyewitness accounts from those present at the scene, dozens of people were lying unconscious in various parts of the street. Police officers and fire rescue teams who tried to reach the accident site to rescue the victims could not arrive quickly due to the large crowd. As a result, citizens administered CPR and provided emergency care.

One netizen who was at the scene shared on an online community, “About ten people on the street were performing CPR, desperately trying to rescue those who had lost consciousness,” and added, “Many were shouting to find doctors or nurses to help,” conveying the urgent situation at the time.

As rescue workers could not reach the accident site carrying stretchers due to the massive crowd, ordinary citizens carried the injured on their backs and ran to the ambulances.

Another netizen who witnessed the scene directly said, “At first, I thought only one or two people had fainted, but when the number exceeded ten or twenty, someone shouted, ‘Men, please hurry and help move them,’” and added, “Many men ran to the accident site and carried the unconscious people to where the ambulances were.”

There are also criticisms that many people dressing up for Halloween contributed to the accident. One netizen explained, “Some people mistook the urgently shouting police officers and firefighters for ordinary citizens in costume,” and added, “There were many people with blood-stained costumes, so at the beginning of the accident, many thought it was just a simple role-play.”

Meanwhile, as of 9:40 a.m. on the 30th, the death toll from the crush accident that occurred around Itaewon on the night of the 29th stands at 151. There are 82 injured, including some seriously wounded, so the number of deaths may increase. The victims have been transported to various hospitals including Soonchunhyang University Hospital, National Medical Center, Ewha Mokdong Hospital, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, and Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital.

Among the total deceased, 19 were foreigners. Initially identified as 2 as of 6 a.m., the number increased significantly during the identification process.