Choi Seong-beom, director of Seoul's Yongsan Fire Department, said the death toll could rise as emergency workers continue to transport injured people to hospitals across Seoul after a trampoline in Itaewon District on the evening of October 29 (local time), according to AP.
Officials said the victims were trampled to death while gathering in a small alley near the Hamilton Hotel after hearing that a celebrity had not been identified.
The National Fire Agency and the Ministry of Home Affairs and Safety of South Korea previously said about 100 people were injured and about 50 people were given emergency care due to cardiac arrest in the early morning of October 30.
More than 400 staff and 140 vehicles from emergency forces across the country, along with all medical staff in Seoul, were mobilized to the streets of Itaewon to treat the injured. The authorities are trying to accurately count the number of victims.
Video and photos from the scene show ambulances lining up along the streets, dense police forces on duty and emergency staff moving the rescue team.
Police limit vehicles in neighboring areas so that ambulances can quickly take injured people to hospitals across the city. The Seoul Police Department has warned via text message system that people in the area should return home quickly.
Local media previously reported that about 100,000 people were rushing to the streets of Itaewon to participate in Halloween activities - the biggest holiday since the pandemic when COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in recent months.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol asked authorities to ensure timely treatment for the victims and assess the safety of festival sites. Mr. Yoon also directed the country's Ministry of Health to deploy medical support forces and ensure the number of hospital beds near the Itaewon area to treat the victims.
