Fire chief’s hand shakes as he announces grim death toll from South Korea’s Halloween stampede: Official caught on video shaking uncontrollably during press briefing after tragedy
- A firefighter in South Korea appeared to be shaking during a press briefing
- More than 150 people died in the stampede in Seoul, prompting a massive emergency
- Choi Sung-beom, chief of the Yongsan Fire Department, reported the death toll
A video shows a firefighter in South Korea shaking during a press briefing about the Halloween stampede that killed more than 150 people.
Last night, 153 people were killed and 82 injured in a stampede in Seoul as huge crowds gathered in the popular nightlife district of Ithaewon for the Halloween festival.
Footage of Fire Chief Yongsan Choi Sung-bum calmly informing the media that the death toll from the crowd had risen has been widely shared online.
The “heartbreaking” video, which was taken hours after the fatal incident, shows the exhausted emergency worker shaking slightly while holding a microphone.
People online reacted to the video to share their sympathies with Choi Sung Bum and the other emergency personnel who attended the tragic incident.
More than 1,700 emergency workers were deployed from across South Korea to respond to one of the deadliest mobs in recent history – including some 520 firefighters, 1,100 police and 70 civil servants.
Other footage from the street showed dozens of emergency workers working desperately to give CPR to victims lying in the street.
South Korea’s fire chief, Yongsan Choi Sung-bum, appeared shaken as he gave a media briefing on the stampede that killed at least 153 people in Seoul.
A firefighter was delivering updates on the death toll in the early morning crowd
People online noticed that Choi Sung Bum’s hand was shaking when he held the microphone and speculated that it could be due to the traumatic nature of the incident
Onlookers, police and paramedics gathered where dozens of people suffered cardiac arrest in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon
The scale of the emergency response in Seoul called in emergency personnel from across the country, including 140 ambulances
Left: The alley is seen early Sunday morning. He remained cordoned off while police continued to investigate the tragedy. Right: The same alley is seen shortly before the stampede. Hundreds of people are shown stuffed
The account that shared the video online said: “I’m worried about the injuries to everyone who was at the scene. I hope that the country will take responsibility and support the post-accident treatment of all personnel who were deployed today.”
Rachel said, “You know it’s traumatic when the fire chief’s hands are shaking.”
Another user tweeted: “Being a first responder to a terrible disaster in the midst of celebration will affect even those who are used to tragedies.”
Reid said: “I feel for him – can you imagine being him?” I am certainly praying for all law enforcement officers, EMS personnel and others who responded to the tragedy.”
One Twitter user suggested his hands might be shaking from CPR, while another person said: “This is heartbreaking. I hope they all get free therapy sessions.”
Employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations had difficulty assisting a large number of victims because of the narrow and crowded streets
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol (center) attends an emergency meeting following the tragic disaster in Seoul
A man bows as he mourns a deadly stampede on the street during Halloween
Police gather at the scene a day after a deadly stampede left 153 dead and dozens injured
South Korea has now declared a week of mourning after people reportedly “fell down like dominoes” at around 10.30pm during the fatal stampede at the Halloween festival, where a crowd of 100,000 packed the narrow streets.
Dozens are reported to have gone into cardiac arrest, and the death toll now stands at 153, including at least 19 foreign nationals, with many of the victims being women in their 20s.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a week of national mourning and said after visiting the site earlier today that the deadly stampede “should not have happened”.
“A tragedy and disaster occurred in downtown Seoul that should not have happened,” Yoon said in a national address, vowing to “thoroughly investigate” the incident and make sure it never happens again.
Reports from last night also detailed how some revelers continued to party in the neighborhood after the stampede – despite desperate pleas from police to go home.
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