Driver under police investigation, blames sudden unintended acceleration
Two people were killed and 18 were injured as of Thursday afternoon after a truck veered off the road and crashed into a traditional market in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, earlier in the morning.
According to police and fire authorities, the incident occurred at 10:55 a.m., when a truck driven by a man in his 60s suddenly shot forward and rammed into a restaurant inside the market and nearby stalls.
Authorities dispatched around 20 emergency vehicles and 60 personnel to the scene after receiving the report.
Two women in their 70s and 80s were found at the scene in cardiac arrest and were pronounced dead after being transported to hospital.
Of the 18 people reportedly injured, nine suffered serious injuries, including three experiencing impaired consciousness, as well as six needing other urgent medical care.
Witness accounts and security camera footage reported in local media suggest that the truck had been reversing moments before suddenly accelerating forward.
According to police, the driver is said to blame sudden unintended acceleration for the accident. However, authorities say it is too early to draw conclusions, as security camera footage alone is not enough to determine the cause of the sudden acceleration. Police authorities have requested a forensic inspection of the truck.
Police have placed the driver under emergency arrest on charges of accidental homicide and injury under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents. Officials added that breathalyzer and drug tests conducted on the driver upon arrest showed no signs of intoxication.
All of the injured people were transported to nearby hospitals after receiving emergency treatment at the scene.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
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