South Korea - Multiple Dead & Hundreds Injured in Crush During Halloween Festivities - Seoul

[AliceInPain]

"There was no stampede, it was a slow and agonising crush." (from DM article)

I have been there at concerts in the 90s, and also trying to celebrate Chinese new year in London some 20 years ago with my kids.
Just suddenly you can't really breathe and you may not be able to move. I don't know how it happens.
That last time with my kids I ended up climbing over people sitting at a restaurant and most of them swore at me but I would 100% do it again, I had to get my kids out of there.
Those were not what I'd consider "stampedes" either. Just unnecessary pressure.
Good planning, security, a plan B, has a lot to do with the outcome imo.

I saw some pictures before of victims, they look so young

 

[HMSHood]

Halloween turns deadly in Itaewon

Halloween festivities in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood became a deadly disaster late Saturday, as crowds surged into a narrow, sloping alley, killing and injuring hundreds. At least 154 people have died -- of whom 26 were foreign nationals -- and 132 were injured as of Sunday evening, according...

www.koreaherald.com

The death toll has climbed to 154. An extremely crowded area can be a frightening sight. This is one giant Charlie Foxtrot.

 

[steeltowngirl]

So sad for the all of people whose lives were taken in the horrific tragedy in Seoul, and for their family and friends left to endure the pain of their loss.

The news of this crowd crush gave me the chills. Years ago, I was at Mardi Gras in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday. As we walked from Canal Street into the intersection onto Bourbon St., the crowd was pushing so hard that I was literally lifted from my feet and carried by the crowd with my face crushed into the back of a guy in front of me. It only lasted about ten seconds before the crowd was able to get past the gridlocked turn onto Bourbon St. and move forward and I dropped back to my feet again. But it was SCARY as can be.

 

[sds71]

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[Blondie in Spokane]

So sad for the all of people whose lives were taken in the horrific tragedy in Seoul, and for their family and friends left to endure the pain of their loss.

The news of this crowd crush gave me the chills. Years ago, I was at Mardi Gras in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday. As we walked from Canal Street into the intersection onto Bourbon St., the crowd was pushing so hard that I was literally lifted from my feet and carried by the crowd with my face crushed into the back of a guy in front of me. It only lasted about ten seconds before the crowd was able to get past the gridlocked turn onto Bourbon St. and move forward and I dropped back to my feet again. But it was SCARY as can be.

Hey stg…..so glad u made it thru that crush. I can’t imagine how terrifying that had to be for u & I don’t really want to think too much about it either. I’m fearful of crowds & avoid them at all cost. Earlier it was stated this was a “slow & agonizing crush”.…..that’s such a frightening way to describe it. So many were trying to save themselves by scaling flat walls & attempting to help pull others out of the horrific sea of bodies. The videos I’ve come across are enough to give me nightmares.
Glad u are here w us.

 

[Dotta]

"Due to strict pandemic restrictions and the fact South Korea was one of the slowest countries in the world to ease rules on socialising, it is the first Halloween in three years that youngsters in Seoul have been able to enjoy out."

South Korea's PM vows probe into Halloween crush that killed 154

The heartbreaking disaster happened in the country's capital Seoul as thousands of people, mainly in their teens and 20s, headed to the Itaewon district for Halloween celebrations on Saturday night.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[dotr]

K-Pop singer and actor Lee Jihan, 24, killed in Seoul Halloween crowd crush

Lee Jihan first found fame on South Korean reality show Produce 101, where 101 K-Pop hopefuls competed to win in a boy band and went on to star in the High School drama Today Was Another Nam Hyun Day.

news.sky.com

'K-Pop star and actor Lee Jihan has been confirmed as one of the victims of the Seoul Halloween stampede that has killed over 150 people.'

24-year-old actor Lee Ji-han dies in Seoul crowd crush

Actor was among the 154 people who died in the tragedy in South Korea’s capital

www.independent.co.uk

''South Korean actor Lee Ji-han was among the 154 people to die in the crowd crush in Itaewon, Seoul, on Saturday (29 October).
At least 132 other people are reported to be injured, including 37 in serious condition, amid fears the death toll could rise further.
An estimated 100,000 people had gathered in the city’s nightlife district for Halloween celebrations when the fatal crush occurred.''

rbbm.

How Seoul Halloween crush that killed 154 and injured 149 unfolded in real time

People out for celebration in Itaewon district piled up ‘like a wave’ and fell ‘like dominoes’

www.independent.co.uk

''The aftermath of the tragedy is such that several people are missing and their families, in growing desperation, are still combing through the streets with the hope of finding their loved ones two days after the event.''

''At the missing persons facility, one person broke down and begged officials to help him find his family. The centre has received more than 1,000 telephone inquiries about the disaster daily.

Two American college students died in the crush as well.
One of them was Anna Gieske, 20, an American nursing student at the University of Kentucky who had been studying abroad in South Korea and recording her travels on Instagram.

“There aren’t adequate or appropriate words to describe the pain of a beautiful life cut short. It isn’t fair, nor is it comprehensible. It is loss and it hurts in ways that are impossible to articulate,” said university president Eli Capilouto in a statement to students and faculty on Sunday.

Steven Blesi, a 20-year-old student at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, was also killed in the disaster, according to his father Steve Blesi.''
''He recalled the excruciatingly painful call when he learned of his son’s death. “It was like it stabbed like a hundred million times simultaneously,” Mr Blesi told The New York Times. “It was like your world just collapsing. It was numb and devastating all at the same time.”

 

[MsMarple]

I’m terrified of crowds like this. I don’t get in them if I can avoid it at all.

"There was no stampede, it was a slow and agonising crush." (from DM article)

I have been there at concerts in the 90s, and also trying to celebrate Chinese new year in London some 20 years ago with my kids.
Just suddenly you can't really breathe and you may not be able to move. I don't know how it happens.
That last time with my kids I ended up climbing over people sitting at a restaurant and most of them swore at me but I would 100% do it again, I had to get my kids out of there.
Those were not what I'd consider "stampedes" either. Just unnecessary pressure.
Good planning, security, a plan B, has a lot to do with the outcome imo.

I saw some pictures before of victims, they look so young

Heartbreaking. And I totally get what you said about your experience: a few years ago pre-Covid I was in Kyoto to watch a big fire ritual on distant mountains to honor ancestors and the crowd was so tightly packed that our friend started hyperventilating. I can see how easily crowds can get out of control. It's like rushing water, once it starts you can't stop it.

P.S. My daughter in Osaka decided to host a Halloween binge watching evening this year instead of going out and boy was I glad! Some went over and others joined on Discord.

 

[airportwoman]

The footage of the young man who escaped by somehow climbing the side of a building really got to me.

My 21-year-old niece, who is quite petite, went to a similar party in the city where she lives this past weekend, but thankfully got home OK.

 

[dotr]

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[sds71]

South Korea’s police chief said Tuesday that crowd control was “inadequate”
There were emergency calls from the area before the crush, warning of the large number of people gathered in the narrow alleyway where the surge later occurred, the national police chief said in a briefing.

Itaewon crush: South Korea police admit response was inadequate

It is the first acknowledgement of fault from officials after the incident that killed 155 people.

www.bbc.com

S.Korea police chief says crowd control at site of Halloween crush was inadequate

South Korea's police chief said on Tuesday that crowd control in the area where a crush killed more than 150 party-goers in central Seoul was "inadequate."

www.reuters.com

 

[dotr]

rbbm.

Itaewon crush: First emergency call came hours before crush

Police did almost nothing to stop a huge, unmanageable crowd from gathering.

www.bbc.com

''Even as the blame game among officials continues, the fact remains that no-one stopped hundreds of people, mostly in their teens or 20s, from converging in the sloped alley that night. Once that happened, experts say, what came next was nearly impossible to prevent.
The narrowness trapped them, and the slope meant that when some fell, it triggered a domino effect on others. People were also moving in several directions at once, jostling and trying to escape the crush.''

Any more than five people per square metre is considered potentially dangerous - and there were at least 10 people per square metre in that alley, according to Baek Seung-joo, a fire safety professor at Open Cyber University. He says he made the estimate based on images and footage.
"Instinctively, in such a situation, people don't help each other, they compete and don't follow orders… You can't blame the young people who pushed others when they were under extreme pressure," he said. "The authorities are responsible for failing to control the crowd in advance."

''Safety tips in overcrowded situations​

The following advice is from the US Centers for Disease Control.

• Keep your hands in front of your chest "like a boxer"
• Try to maintain firm footing
• Try to stay on your feet
• Don't resist the force of the crowd
• When there's a lull in movement, work your way diagonally to the edge of the crowd
• If you fall down, protect yourself by curling into a ball
• Stay calm and get up as soon as you can

More generally, crowd control experts also advise people to try to stay upright and reserve their energy.

• Focus on getting air and try to save your breath. In a crowd, the heat and weight of bodies pressing against you will make it hard for you to breathe. Save your oxygen, don't waste it screaming unless you have to''

 

[vls12345]

Two American college students died in the crush as well.
One of them was Anna Gieske, 20, an American nursing student at the University of Kentucky who had been studying abroad in South Korea and recording her travels on Instagram.

“There aren’t adequate or appropriate words to describe the pain of a beautiful life cut short. It isn’t fair, nor is it comprehensible. It is loss and it hurts in ways that are impossible to articulate,” said university president Eli Capilouto in a statement to students and faculty on Sunday.

Steven Blesi, a 20-year-old student at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, was also killed in the disaster, according to his father Steve Blesi.''
''He recalled the excruciatingly painful call when he learned of his son’s death. “It was like it stabbed like a hundred million times simultaneously,” Mr Blesi told The New York Times. “It was like your world just collapsing. It was numb and devastating all at the same time.”

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/30/seoul-itaewon-steven-blesi/

Georgia Dad Mourns Son with 'Bright Future' Who Died in South Korea Crowd Surge: 'The World's a Darker Place'

The father of an American victim killed in Saturday's crowd crush in South Korea is remembering his son as a "smart" young man with a "bright future" ahead of him

people.com

2 U.S. College Students Killed in South Korea Crowd Crush, Families Say They're 'Devastated' and 'Heartbroken'

The families of Anne Gieske and Steven Blesi are mourning the students, who were killed in a crowd surge over the weekend at a Halloween celebration in Seoul

people.com

 

[Jinkasaurus]

So tragic. Given the age of most of the victims, they had their entire lives ahead of them.

 

[airportwoman]

10 people per square meter is roughly 1 person per square foot! That's VERY tightly packed, and add alcohol and costumes to the mix, and you have a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[IceIce9]

Death toll 154. So sad

 

[Fika]

How horrible, I’m trying to stay clear from watching videos and looking up pictures.
There most likely will be more victims, most so young.

I was nearly crashed few years back in Amsterdam ( Netherlands) on King’s day.
People were walking in every direction and some people ( after a little drinks) started to push to get out and smash everyone on their way. I lost hand of my then bf and was pressed so hard I had a hard time breathing, couldn’t get a deep breathe.
Luckily for me people around started to push out to make space, some panicked and yelled and my bf literally after getting my hand again pulled me out so hard I thought he will dislocate my arm.
It was so scary that since I haven’t been out in any crowds otherwise I start to panic. I was lucky left with bruised chest and back “only”.

 

[steeltowngirl]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed, as was references to it>

But it is possible for cities to control crowds and manage a safe experience for all. Clearly, the South Korea Halloween event lacked planning.

Twice, I have been in Times Square NYC for the New Year’s Eve ball drop. (I used to really enjoy these types of events when I was younger - now, not so much). New York City gets it right.

Here is a clip from how they manage the crowds.

“Revelers start arriving late in the afternoon on New Year's Eve. By approximately 3:00 p.m., the Bow Tie of Times Square (42nd to 47th Sts. between Broadway & 7th Ave.) is fully closed to traffic. Revelers are directed by the NYPD to gather in separate viewing sections. As one section fills up, the revelers are directed by police to the next viewing section. As the evening progresses, revelers continue to fill the Times Square neighborhood along Broadway and Seventh Avenue moving uptown from 43rd Street to as far as Central Park. If you are planning to come to Times Square and join in the festivities, you are advised to enter from Sixth or Eighth Avenue. Your chance of getting a viewing spot near the Ball (at Broadway & 43rd Street) increases the earlier you arrive. The blocks will be closed off as they fill up northward, street-by-street, as the police deem necessary. The Ball can best be seen along Broadway, from 43rd Street to 50th Street, and along Seventh Avenue, as far north as 59th Street, so plant to arrive early to grab the best possible spot.”

What to Expect on a Times Square New Years Eve

The celebration begins with the lighting and raising of the New Years Eve Ball atop One Times Square. Learn what to expect on a New Year's Eve in Times Square New Years Eve 2026 in 104 days

www.balldrop.com

 

[YaYa_521]

Itaewon crush: Officer under investigation found dead at home

An officer accused of covering up Seoul's police failings was found in his home, in a suspected suicide.

www.bbc.com

SBM
The 55-year-old, identified as Inspector Jeong, was an intelligence officer working with the local police. [snip]
He was suspended on Wednesday, after allegedly covering up police failings. Jeong was accused of ordering colleagues to delete an intelligence report - written ahead of the Halloween event - which warned of the possibility of a serious incident taking place. [snip] Police are investigating the circumstances of his death.

 

[whitelilac]

^ Why on earth would this officer discount and repress a report of the possibility of a tragedy happening BEFORE this event?
Speechless.