Two dead, 18 injured as truck rams through crowded market in South Korea

Truck reversed 28 metres, then sped into market after sudden acceleration, driver tells officials

A light truck crashed into a market in South Korea on Thursday, ploughing 150 metres (164 yards) along a passageway lined with stalls before coming to a halt, killing two people and injuring 18, according to emergency officials and media reports.

The incident took place at a market in Bucheon, about 20 km (12 miles) west of the capital Seoul, a fire official told a televised briefing.

Two people who had suffered cardiac arrest were later confirmed dead, the Yonhap news agency reported.

The truck appeared to reverse for about 28 metres before accelerating toward the outdoor market, the fire official said. The driver blamed a sudden surge of acceleration for the incident, he added.

The driver was not intoxicated when tested for alcohol, a police official said at the briefing. Authorities plan to hand the vehicle over to investigators to determine the cause of the crash, the official added.

CCTV footage aired on Korean television showed shoppers at an outdoor market before a blue truck accelerated along a passageway lined with stalls and crashed into one of the stores.