At 10:22 p.m. on Saturday night, the nightmare began

On the 29th, when young people dressed in various "costumes" ahead of Halloween, the streets of Itaewon were packed with people as the night deepened. At 10:22 p.m. when the festive mood was at its peak. Screams erupted on a narrow ramp about 4 meters wide next to the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon. About two minutes later, at 10:24, the first call to the fire department was a signal of the worst crushing disaster. After receiving a report that "about 10 people were laid in Itaewon-dong," 119 reports broke out. Since then, 81 reports have been received of patients with breathing difficulties for about an hour.

Fire authorities, who were waiting for Halloween, immediately dispatched to the scene and mobilized all ambulances in the jurisdiction, but it was reported that it was not easy to enter the ambulance due to the cloud crowd in Itaewon. People continued to fall even at the time when the fire authorities reported the accident and dispatched. A man in his 20s who was at the scene said, "It started to get pushed from 10:30 p.m. and at 10:40 p.m., people fell down one by one and piled up in five or six layers," adding, "People nearby took out the person at the bottom, but it was there for at least 10 minutes." It is said that when there were not many people before the disaster, the right-hand traffic was somewhat autonomous. Since then, the number of people has increased and the narrow road has been filled, and when someone was pushed down and fell, it collapsed like a domino in an instant, according to the common testimony of field witnesses.On the afternoon of the 29th, a crowd gathered in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, for Halloween, and firefighters are conducting emergency activities at the scene. On the afternoon of the 29th, a crowd gathered in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, for Halloween, and firefighters are conducting emergency activities at the scene. The fire authorities invoked the first stage of response at 10:43 p.m., and requested the dispatch of the 119 Emergency Situation Management Center Disaster Medical Support Team at 10:45 p.m. He then set up a temporary emergency medical center on Hangang-ro near Itaewon Station at 10:53 p.m. to receive injuries. At 11 p.m., Seoul National University Hospital requested support from the Disaster Medical Support Team (DMAT), and all disaster medical support teams from the Seoul Metropolitan Area Emergency Medical Center, including Hanyang University Hospital, Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital, Korea University Hospital, Ajou University Hospital, and Bundang Seoul National University Hospital. The fire authorities upgraded it to the second stage of response at 11:13 p.m., followed by the third stage of response at 11:50 p.m., and deployed a large number of rescue personnel and equipment, including 142 ambulances. While the fire authorities carried out rescue activities at the scene, citizens also stepped up and supported the fallen victim by squeezing his limbs and loosening or cutting tight clothes. Currently, Choi Tae-young, head of the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters, led the rescue, and Lee Sang-min, Minister of Public Administration and Security, Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, and Kim Kwang-ho, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, arrived to take care of the rescue. President Yoon Suk Yeol led the handling of the accident in the situation room of the Seoul Government Complex in Gwanghwamun. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is on a business trip to Europe, suspended his schedule in the Netherlands and went home

Date: 2022-12-06

Reporter: 서화목 ​