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| ▲ This photo provided by a reader shows a car that crashed into a conventional market in Seoul on Dec. 31, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
(2nd LD) car crash-Seoul market
(2nd LD) 13 injured as car plows into pedestrians at Seoul market
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with more details, quotes; RECASTS headline; REPLACES photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- At least 13 people were injured Tuesday when a sedan driven by a 73-year-old man crashed into multiple people at a traditional market in Seoul, police said.
The accident occurred at Mokdong Kkaebi Market in southwestern Seoul at around 3:50 p.m., leaving four people seriously injured and nine others with minor injuries. No deaths have been reported so far, police said.
The driver, who was not seriously injured, was reportedly alone in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Witnesses said the car struck pedestrians and stalls before traveling about 100 meters further into the market and coming to a stop.
Among the injured is a 40-year-old employee of a fruit store, who suffered critical injuries. He was working at the store when the sedan crashed into it.
Police said alcohol and drug tests conducted on the driver returned negative.
The driver told investigators during questioning that he had taken the car out of storage because he was concerned about the battery running out after a long period of inactivity.
"I accelerated to avoid a bus in front of me and then hit the brakes near a market stall. However, I don't clearly remember what happened next," he said.
The driver did not claim the crash was caused by sudden unintended acceleration, police added.
The police plan to investigate the cause of the crash based on surveillance camera footage.
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