Man Filmed Climbing Up Itaewon Building To Escape Stampede
On 29 Oct, at least 153 perished, and over 180 were injured in a crowd crush at Itaewon district in South Korea during Halloween festivities.
During the chaotic scenes that unfolded at around 10.30pm in a narrow alleyway, a man was seen climbing up a building in a desperate attempt to escape the crush.
Pushing and stressing hysterically, a man tries to escape..during the celebrations at the Halloween party..in South Korea..#SouthKorea #Halloween #Seoul #Itaewon #이태원 #이태원사고 #압사사고. pic.twitter.com/qqmgvLOXVf
— Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) October 29, 2022
The video has since gone viral on Twitter, with more than 1.3 million views.
Some businesses had allegedly not allowed people to enter their establishments.
Man climbs Itaewon building to escape stampede
A video circulating on social media shows a man scaling a building while hundreds are being pushed underneath.
The street is so packed with people that it’s impossible to see the floor.
The person filming appears to have reached a vantage point or managed to get to a higher level, as their perspective seems to be from above the crowd.
Source: Twitter
The crowd appears to ebb and flow as everyone seems unable to move of their own volition.
Source: Twitter
Meanwhile, the man has climbed higher and higher up the building. It is unclear if he managed to reach an upper-floor window or any other location that allowed him to escape the crowd.
While the video has been watched millions of times, the identity of the person who filmed and posted it remains unclear.
South Korea president announces national mourning period
According to witnesses, people began to push in the alleyway near the Hamilton hotel at around 10.30pm.
Those who managed to get out could only do so after half an hour or longer. Others, however, did not survive.
Some sustained crushed legs and arms during the incident. Viewer discretion is advised when clicking the link.
YouTuber Seon Yeo Jung was also present at the scene, and she recounted her experience on Instagram Story.
Source: Seon Yeo Jung on Instagram
She said there were people shouting behind her, “Push! We’re stronger! We can win this!”, followed by forceful pushing. “Honestly, I was being shoved around against my will. I felt my vision fading.”
Seon said thankfully, she had a friend with her, and they helped her to resist the force. “If it wasn’t for my friend, I would have fallen,” she said.
In response to the tragedy, South Korea president Yoon Suk-yeol has announced a national mourning period, cancelling all concerts and government briefings until 5 Nov, CNBC reports.
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Featured image adapted from @sirajnoorani on Twitter.
