Exactly what caused the incident that also injured at least 76 in South Korea remains unclear

Tens of thousands of people were out on the streets of Seoul to celebrate Halloween when the crush took place, the local fire chief told South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Yongsan Fire Dept Chief Choi Seong-bum said that 151 people were killed in the incident and a further 82 were injured.

Officials are still investigating what led to the crush. Choi said there was no gas leak or fire on site.

Authorities first received reports of people being “buried” in crowds at around 10:24 p.m. local time Saturday night.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visits the scene where dozens of people died and were injured in Seoul on Sunday, Oct. 30.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Sunday visited the neighborhood of Itaewon, the site of the Halloween crush which has killed 151 people, mostly teenagers and young adults.

Yoon has declared a period of national mourning will continue “until the handling of the accident is concluded.”

The death toll from the crowd crush in Seoul’s Itaewon nightlife area has risen to 151, the city fire department said Sunday. Among the dead are 19 foreign nationals.

Eighty-two others have been injured.

A live broadcast of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is displayed in Seoul on Sunday morning, October 30.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared a period of national mourning after an apparent crowd surge killed at least 149 people in the Itaewon district of Seoul during Halloween celebrations.

Speaking on Sunday morning, Yoon sent his condolences to families of the victims and wished all injured “speedy recoveries.”

He said it was “miserable” to see the disaster play out in the heart of the capital, and would come up with measures to prevent similar accidents in future.

Yoon said the mourning period would continue “until the handling of the accident is concluded.”

The crush in Itaewon on Halloween is one of South Korea’s worst disasters since a 2014 ferry sinking that killed 304 people, mainly high school students.

The Itaewon district of Seoul is seen on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. 

Itaewon, where the crush occurred, is one of Seoul’s top nightlife areas.

Once shunned by locals as a seedy, red light district, it has since been transformed into a trendy hotspot featuring nightclubs and restaurants that are popular with young Koreans and the city’s gay communities.

The area is also home to the Seoul Central Mosque and a sizable local Muslim community.

Its cramped and narrow streets and alleyways can make it hard to navigate after dark, especially when it is busy.

On Saturday, huge crowds poured into Itaewon to celebrate Halloween for the first time in three years following the lifting of pandemic restrictions.

Officials on the ground say a crush occurred as crowds surged through the narrow streets. 

Police pass ambulances at Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital in Seoul, on Oct 30.

Much of Asia is waking up to the news that nearly 150 people have been killed and dozens more injured in an apparent crowd surge in the Itaewon nightlife district of Seoul.

Here’s what we know so far:

• What caused the crush is not clear, but witnesses have said that beforehand partygoers were packed tightly in the district’s narrow streets and that it was difficult to move around.
• Most of the casualties so far have been teenagers and people in their 20s, officials said. Many were dressed in halloween costumes.
• Photos and videos on social media show people lying in the streets and on stretchers as first responders render aid.
• Many victims suffered “cardiac arrest” and “breathing difficulties,” officials at the scene said.
• More than 1,700 emergency responders have been dispatched, including 517 firefighters, 1,100 police officials, and about 70 government workers.
• Authorities are having a hard time identifying victims and are asking families for help.
• Two foreigners were reportedly among the dead, and 15 among the injured.
• The Seoul city government is also receiving reports of missing people.
• Dozens of injured have been transferred to nearby hospitals, with local health authorities adding that the death toll is likely to increase.

World leaders have been sending condolences and messages of support to South Korea after an apparent crowd surge killed at least 149 people in the Itaewon district of Seoul during Halloween celebrations.

Philip Seth Goldberg, United States ambassador to South Korea since 2022, tweeted in both English and Korean: “I’m devastated by the tragic loss of life in Itaewon last night. Please know my thoughts, and those of our team at US Embassy Seoul, are with the Korean people and especially the loved ones of those who perished, as well as the many injured in this catastrophic incident.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted: “All our thoughts are with those currently responding and all South Koreans at this very distressing time.”

“France is by your side,” President Emmanuel Macron said, tweeting in French and Korean.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz tweeted: “The tragic events in Seoul come as a shock to all of us. Our thoughts are with the numerous victims and their families. This is a sad day for South Korea. Germany stands by their side.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: “On behalf of Canadians, I’m sending my deepest condolences to the people of South Korea today, following a deadly stampede in Seoul. I’m thinking of everyone affected by this tragedy, and wishing a fast and full recovery to those who were injured.”

The Australian government also sent messages of support.

“Our sincere condolences for all affected by this terrible tragedy,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted.

Australia’s embassy in Seoul said it was “urgently making enquiries” with local authorities to determine if any Australians were involved.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said: “Deeply saddened by the terrible events in central Seoul. What was meant to be a celebration turned into a tragedy with so many young casualties. We are with the people of the Republic of Korea at this difficult moment.”

Rescue teams and firefighters at the scene where at least 149 people died in a crowd surge during Halloween celebrations in Seoul, South Korea, on Oct. 30.

Exactly what caused the apparent crowd surge that led to the deaths of at least 149 people during Halloween gatherings in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night remains unclear.

CNN’s Will Ripley notes this was the first halloween celebration in three years which did not have pandemic restrictions in South Korea:

“There were no masks required, no limits on crowd size. There were warnings on loudspeakers telling people they needed to be careful. The big unanswered question now is why, and what (else) can be done.”

Two foreigners died in the Itaewon Halloween tragedy and over a dozen others — including a US citizen — were among those hurt, officials said.

Yongsan Fire Chief Choi Seong-bum said two “foreign nationals” had died but did not say where they were from. He added that 15 other foreign nationals were hurt.

According to the US State Department, at least one of the people injured was a US citizen.

“We are working with local authorities to determine if any additional US citizens were affected and stand ready to provide consular assistance,” the official said.

“We urge US citizens in the affected areas who are safe to contact their loved ones directly and/or update their status on social media,” the official said. “If you are in the affected area and need immediate emergency services, please contact local authorities.”

Many families have not been able to account for loved ones who attended a packed celebration in the popular nightclub district.

Some background: People fly into Seoul from all over to celebrate Halloween in Itaewon, CNN’s Will Ripley notes. Hotels and ticketed events in the neighborhood were booked solid ahead of this weekend’s festivities.

Most of those hurt or killed in the Halloween incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night are teenagers or people in their 20s, according to the chief of the Yongsan Fire Department.

In an update Sunday morning, Fire Chief Choi Seong-bum said at least 149 people had died and 76 people were injured. Nineteen of those people were severely hurt while 57 others suffered minor injuries.

Late Saturday, as officials were still trying to grasp the full scope of the tragedy, authorities said as many as 150 people were hurt.

South Korea’s president urged officials to quickly identify those who died, as many people were still unaccounted for.

Long queues of ambulances formed on the streets looking for people who needed to be taken to hospital on Sunday, October 30, 2022.

The death toll has reached at least 149 from the apparent crowd surge during Halloween gatherings in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, according to a local fire official.

Yongsan Fire Department Chief Choi Seong-bum shared the update after 6 a.m. local time in Seoul (5 p.m. ET), as day broke and officials sorted through what was left in the crowded streets of the popular nightclub district.

A local health official had earlier warned that with dozens of people hospitalized, the death toll was likely to rise.

Speaking to reporters Saturday evening, US President Joe Biden briefly reacted to the tragic news out of South Korea.

The President said he had not yet been fully briefed and that he would release a lengthier statement later.

“I will make a statement when I find out more about it. I literally just heard about it from staff on the way down in the car,” Biden said outside a Delaware polling place where he cast an early vote.

The President reacted with apparent shock when told the latest death toll numbers by the press.

At last update, more than 140 people had died and at least 150 others were hurt, in what local officials believe was a crowd surge during packed gatherings.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol holding an emergency meeting. 

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has ordered authorities to rapidly identify the victims in Seoul for the sake of worried families, according to a spokesperson.

Yoon immediately activated an emergency management headquarters, with the country’s prime minister in charge, and ordered the interior and safety minister to begin an investigation into the cause of the incident, said Kim Eun-hye, a top public relations official for the president.

Rescue teams work at the scene in Itaewon on Saturday night.

At least 146 people have died and 150 were injured in an apparent crowd surge during packed Halloween festivities in Seoul Saturday night, according to the Yongsan Fire Department chief.

Here are the latest developments.

Death toll could rise: With local hospitals treating dozens of injured people from the Seoul Halloween emergency, the death toll will likely increase, a local health official said. The cause of injuries and deaths in the incident has not been officially confirmed, added Choi Jae-won, the head of Yongsan Health Center.

Official blames crowd surge: A local fire official described the emergency as a “presumed stampede,” but the investigation is just beginning. Few details on specific injuries were provided. Yonhap News Agency reported dozens of people suffered from “cardiac arrest” and trouble breathing.

Authorities said the emergency was not due to a gas leak or a fire in the popular nightclub district. They started receiving reports of people “buried” in the crowds there around 10:24 p.m. local time (9:24 a.m. ET) Saturday.

Witnesses observe chaotic scene: A witness said people were jammed on a narrow street and could not breathe. “I saw the people going to the left side and I saw the person getting to the opposite side,” Sung Sehyun told CNN. “The person in the middle got jammed, so they had no way to communicate. They could not breathe.”

CNN’s Will Ripley reported that a long line of stretchers forming on the street would be used to take bodies from the scene.

Rescue workers on the street near the scene in Itaewon on Saturday night.

The dozens of people killed and injured in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night were victims of a “presumed stampede,” according to a local fire chief, but the investigation is just beginning.

According to Yongsan Fire Department Chief Choi Seong-bum, 1,701 response personnel are on scene, including 517 firefighters, 1,100 police and 70 government workers.

The bodies of the victims are being transferred to multiple hospital mortuaries, according to Choi.

Seoul’s government is also receiving reports of missing people, as there are many unidentified victims.

Authorities are still investigating the incident and working to identify the victims.

The United States government is ready to provide South Korea with “any support it needs” after the deadly incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Twitter. 

“The reports out of Seoul are heartbreaking. We are thinking about all those who lost loved ones and hoping for a quick recovery for those injured. The United States stands ready to provide the Republic of Korea with any support it needs,” Sullivan wrote. 

Rescue officials load a stretcher into an ambulance in Itaewon on Saturday night.

The death toll has reached at least 146 from the Halloween incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, according to the Yongsan Fire Department chief.

At least 150 others were injured in the incident, the chief added.

The causes of death have not yet been reported, but Yonhap News Agency reported that dozens of people suffered from “cardiac arrest” from the incident, citing fire officials.

With local hospitals treating dozens of injured people from the Seoul Halloween emergency, the death toll will likely increase, a local health official said.

The cause of injuries and deaths in the incident has not been officially confirmed, added Choi Jae-won, the head of Yongsan Health Center.

Local fire officials said the emergency was not due to a gas leak or a fire in the popular nightclub district, but that they started receiving reports of people “buried” in the crowds there around 10:24 p.m. local time (9:24 a.m. ET) Saturday.

CNN’s Will Ripley reported that even before the chaos broke out, Halloween partygoers were packed so tightly in the narrow streets that it was difficult to move around.

Police investigate the scene in Itaewon on Saturday night.

Officials said they are still investigating the exact cause of the incident that killed at least 120 people in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night.

Choi Seong-bum, chief of the Yonsan Fire Department, said there was no gas leak nor fire in the popular nightclub district, but that they received reports of people “buried” in crowds starting around 10:24 p.m. local time (9:24 a.m. ET) Saturday night.

A witness described the chaotic scene to CNN, saying people were jammed and could not breathe.

“I saw the people going to the left side and I saw the person getting to the opposite side. “The person in the middle got jammed, so they had no way to communicate, they could not breathe,” Song Sehyun told CNN.

Emergency workers formed a long line of waiting stretchers after over 100 people were killed during Halloween festivities in Seoul’s popular nightclub district.

Authorities have released few details about the exact cause of the incident, but Yonhap News Agency reported dozens of people suffered from “cardiac arrest” and had trouble breathing.

CNN’s Will Ripley said that when he arrived in the Itaewon neighborhood, there were streams of people walking through the streets, crying and talking on the phone, still wearing costumes from what was intended as a celebration.

While there were paramedics with ambulances still looking for anyone who needed to go the hospital, Ripley reported that the long line of stretchers forming on the street would be used to take bodies from the scene.

Some background: People fly into Seoul from all over Asia to celebrate Halloween in Itaewon, Ripley noted. Hotels and ticketed events in the neighborhood were booked solid ahead of this weekend’s festivities, he said.

Rescue team members wait with stretchers to remove bodies from the scene on Saturday night in the Itaewon district, Seoul.

The death toll has reached at least 120 from the Halloween incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, according to the Yongsan Fire Department chief.

At least 100 others were injured in the incident, the chief added.

The causes of death have not yet been reported but Yonhap News Agency reported that dozens of people suffered from “cardiac arrest” from the incident, attributing fire officials.

Emergency services treat injured people on Saturday night in Seoul.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol dispatched a disaster medical assistance team to the Halloween incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood, according to the presidential office.

The president also ordered authorities to secure emergency beds in hospitals nearby and to implement swift rescue operations and treatment, Presidential spokesman Lee Jae-myung said in a briefing.

Rescue crews seen in the nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul on Saturday night.

At least 59 people were killed in the Halloween incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, according to the Yongsan Fire Department chief.

At least 150 others were also injured, the chief added. 

The cause of the deaths was not immediately provided, but the chief said many people fell during the Halloween festivities, resulting in casualties.

Yonhap News Agency reported dozens of people suffered from “cardiac arrest,” according to fire authorities, and at least 81 people told emergency officials they had “difficulty breathing.”

A total of 848 emergency forces have been dispatched, including 364 firefighters and 400 police officials, according to the chief.

Police have closed off the area in the neighborhood, and social media videos are showing people lying in the streets.

Authorities have not yet provided exact details on the cause of the incident or conditions of those injured.