SEONGNAM, South Korea — As a crowd of about 700 gathered Oct. 17 near an outdoor stage featuring different K-pop bands, some spectators hopped over a short wall to stand on a ventilation grate. The grate and 27 spectators fell more than 60 feet to an underground parking area. Fourteen died on site; two others succumbed from injuries later. The remaining 11 were severely injured.
The accident happened at about 5 p.m. Oct. 17. A distraught festival organizer identified in news reports as Mr. Oh fell to his death from a 10-story building early the next morning. He had been questioned by police investigators and reportedly tweeted a message of remorse before apparently taking his own life.
The band performing at the inaugural Pangyo Techno Valley Music Festival when the grating fell was K-Pop girl group 4Minute. Mr. Oh, whose full name was not disclosed, was 37. He reportedly worked for Gyeonggi Institute of Science and Technology Promotion, which helped organize the event on behalf of its sponsor, Edaily, an online news organization.
Although the spectators had been reportedly warned against standing on the grate before it fell, some safety officials noted that the hazard of the grate could have been anticipated, with temporary safety fences deployed around the short wall to help ensure that spectators would be deterred from using the grating for a better vantage point during the show.
