Seoul Bus Accident Leaves Several Injured
Serious Incident in Western Seoul
On January 16, a bus in western Seoul lost control and crashed into pedestrians, resulting in two individuals sustaining serious injuries and another eleven suffering from various wounds, as reported by rescue officials.
The incident occurred around 1:15 p.m. at an intersection close to Seodaemun Station, where the bus veered off the road, struck pedestrians, and collided with a nearby building.
Among the seriously injured were a woman in her 50s with a broken leg and a man in his 30s who was bleeding from his head. Both were transported to the hospital along with six other injured individuals.
Authorities have not detected any indications of drunk driving but intend to conduct drug tests on the bus driver, who is in his 50s and also suffered injuries.
A witness described the bus moving straight before it suddenly collided with a car, a motorcycle, and pedestrians. The witness recounted hearing a loud noise reminiscent of a "battlefield" before fleeing the scene.
Investigations are underway to determine the precise cause of the accident. To secure the area, officials have deployed 271 personnel and 18 vehicles to assist in relocating the bus.
In a separate incident on January 10, five fatalities occurred in multiple accidents on a highway in North Gyeongsang, believed to be linked to black ice conditions.
One accident involved a truck that lost control while attempting to avoid a stopped vehicle, resulting in the driver's death. Other incidents in the vicinity included a sedan crash that claimed the lives of all four occupants.
Additionally, a sport utility vehicle caught fire after colliding with a truck and hitting a guardrail. By 11 a.m., the death toll from these accidents had reached five, with numerous injuries reported.
Traffic was temporarily restricted on sections of the highway due to these incidents, and authorities are investigating the crashes, suspecting that black ice formed from freezing rain or snow may have played a role.