At least 16 people were killed and 11 others heavily injured when a ventilation grate near an outdoor concert venue in Seongnam, south of Seoul, collapsed on Friday, fire department officials said.
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| Collapsed ventillation at an outdoor theater of Pangyo Techno Valley in Bundang, Seongnam City (Yonhap) |
The officials said the accident occurred at 5:53 p.m. in Pangyo Techno Valley and that around 27 onlookers fell 20 meters when the grate they were standing on collapsed.
About 1,000 people were watching the concert, at which various K-pop musicians, including girl group 4Minute, were performing. Police said the victims were assumed to be standing on top of the grate to get a better view of the concert.
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| (Yonhap) |
The injured people were taken to nearby hospitals and are receiving treatment, according to police.
Witnesses said many of the victims appeared to be office workers in their 30s and 40s who had visited the site to watch the K-pop group’s performance.
Prime Minister Chung Hong-won hurriedly called a meeting of ministers after the accident to discuss ways to contain the potential fallout.
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)
