[Itaewon Disaster] From Downtown Seoul to Gyeonggi-do... 'Emergency Room Crisis' Amid Large-Scale Casualties

154 Dead, Transported to 46 Hospitals and Funeral Homes in the Seoul Metropolitan Area
Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital ER Near the Site Focuses on Casualties
Concentrated Treatment for Disaster Injuries... Seoul ERs Overwhelmed
DMAT from Disaster Base Hospitals Also Conducting On-Site Rescue Operations

On the 30th, ahead of Halloween, families of the missing are moving to identify the missing at the funeral hall of Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where a large-scale crush disaster occurred in the Itaewon area. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] In response to the Itaewon disaster that claimed 154 lives, emergency medical centers (emergency rooms) in Seoul as well as neighboring metropolitan hospitals mobilized urgently. The National Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT), mainly composed of medical staff from regional emergency medical centers, were deployed in large numbers to the scene, and emergency rooms were overwhelmed due to the large number of casualties.

‘Emergency Room Chaos’ Due to Numerous Casualties

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and the medical community on the 31st, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital emergency room, closest to the accident site, accommodated the largest number of patients. At one point, 30% of the casualties were concentrated at this hospital. Seventy-nine deceased were transported here before being moved to other hospitals, and the emergency room focused exclusively on treating patients related to the Itaewon incident, dedicating all efforts to treating the injured. As casualties surged, some criticism arose about concentration at a single hospital. A Ministry of Health and Welfare official explained, “Since it was the medical institution closest to the accident area, many patients were transported here, but most were already deceased at the time of departure or were dead on arrival (DOA) at the emergency room,” adding, “Medical services were provided without disruption to the injured.”

As Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital emergency room reached saturation, a significant number of casualties were also transferred to other hospitals. Patients were transported and treated not only at hospitals about 5 to 6 km away such as Seoul National University Hospital, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Severance Hospital, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, and National Medical Center, but also at emergency rooms about 15 km away like Asan Medical Center and Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital. Due to the large number of deaths, the lack of space for storing bodies led to transfers across metropolitan hospitals. As of 6 a.m. that day, the 154 deceased were placed in 46 hospitals and funeral homes throughout the metropolitan area. Deceased were transported not only to Seoul hospitals but also to Goyang, Uijeongbu, Yangju, Bucheon, Anyang, Suwon, Yongin, and Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province.

With the influx of numerous casualties, an ‘emergency room chaos’ occurred at one point. According to the Central Emergency Medical Center’s Emergency Medical Monitoring System, the hospitalization rate due to severe trauma increased by 500% in the early morning of the 30th, and emergency room bed occupancy in some Seoul hospitals exceeded 150%. In response, medical staff working in three shifts performed ‘double duty’ (working two shifts), and morning shift workers were called in early to secure manpower. A hospital official said, “Normally, when a cardiac arrest patient occurs in a hospital (code blue), at least 4 to 5 medical staff members are assigned to one patient to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation,” adding, “When multiple cardiac arrest casualties occur, all available personnel and equipment are mobilized.”

In the early morning of the 30th, medical staff from the Disaster Medical Support Team dispatched to the scene are conducting rescue operations for the injured.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Disaster Medical Assistance Teams Engaged in On-Site Rescue Activities

Fifteen DMAT teams, which conduct life-saving activities at large emergency medical sites, were deployed in the Itaewon disaster. These teams belonged to 14 metropolitan disaster base hospitals, including two teams from Seoul National University Hospital, as well as Hanyang University Hospital, Kangdong Kyunghee University Hospital, Ewha Mokdong Hospital, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul Medical Center, Bundang CHA Hospital, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Myongji Hospital, and Ajou University Hospital.

Disaster Medical Assistance Teams typically consist of 3 to 4 members, including doctors, nurses, and emergency medical technicians. They are organized on a standing basis to be dispatched immediately to the scene in the event of a large-scale accident in each region. Disaster base hospitals refer to medical institutions designated as regional emergency medical centers that can dispatch DMATs and have beds and equipment prepared to accommodate a large number of patients when a major disaster occurs. At the disaster site, the DMATs prioritized treatment based on patient severity and provided emergency care. They also checked bed availability at nearby emergency medical institutions and coordinated patient transfers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.