SEONGAM (AFP) – Sixteen people were killed and nine others seriously injured when a ventilation grate gave way while they were watching an outdoor pop concert in Seongam south of Seoul on Friday, rescuers said.

“They were standing on the ventilation grate to get a better view when it collapsed under their weight,” a spokesman for the local fire services told AFP.

Rescuers said 16 were confirmed dead, but added the death toll might rise with some of the injured understood to be in critical condition. Television reports said the 25 people fell more than 10 metres into an underground parking area when the grate collapsed.

[The Straits Times – original article]

[Picture: The Straits Times/Reuters]