Fire Authorities: "One 119 Report at Itaewon Site Before 10:15 PM"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The fire authorities revealed that the first 119 emergency call on the night of the Itaewon disaster was made at 10:15 PM, but it has been identified that there was one related call to the scene prior to that.

On the 5th, at a briefing by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH), Lee Il, Director of the 119 Response Bureau at the Fire Agency, responded to a question regarding evidence obtained during the police special investigation headquarters' inquiry indicating that the first 119 call received by the fire department was not at 10:15 PM but earlier. He said, "There were about 17 calls made to 119 from the Itaewon area before 10:15 PM, but only one of those was from the accident scene itself, and the rest were from nearby areas unrelated to the scene."

He added, "Regarding the one call from the accident scene, since it is part of an ongoing investigation, it is inappropriate to mention details here. Internally, we believe that the person who received the call was not in a situation to fully recognize the circumstances, but more detailed information will likely be revealed during the investigation process."

When asked further about the exact time and details of the call, Director Lee avoided answering, stating, "Since it is under investigation, it is not appropriate to respond."

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