Scenes of horror after Halloween crowd crush in narrow Seoul alley

Passers-by roped in to help perform CPR amid desperate attempts to give first aid

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SEOUL Partygoers in costumes fleeing in panic, desperate attempts at first aid on the sidewalks, scores of bodies lined up under makeshift shrouds: in Seoul’s lively Itaewon district, a Halloween festival turned to tragedy on Saturday.

About 150 people were killed ina crowd surge, the cause of which is still unclear, in this popular, cosmopolitan district of the South Korean capital, located close to a former United States military base and renowned for its bars and clubs.

Tens of thousands of people mostly young and many wearing elaborate Halloween costumes had descended upon the district on Saturday night, for the first major Halloween celebration since most Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.

“My friend said, something terrible is happening outside” said Mr Jeon Ga-eul, 30, who was having a drink at a bar at the moment the crowd surge hit.

“I said, what are you talking about?’ And then I went outside to see and there were people doing CPR cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in the street.”