NFPA Journal - Winter 2022 - 17

inspection earlier this year, observers
interviewed by Radio Free Asia cast
doubt over the effectiveness of local
codes and code enforcement. " All
permits granted to the karaoke bars
require that fire safety requirements
be met, " a local resident who wished
to remain anonymous told the news
source. " But in reality, the owners
build as many rooms as they can in
multi-storied buildings because space
isn't cheap in the city. If a fire starts
higher up there's a chance to get out,
but if it starts on the ground floor and
rises, there are no exits to escape. "
Another Radio Free Asia source who
spoke anonymously and who sells fire
equipment in Ho Chi Minh City said
that fires at karaoke bars and other
venues that use significant amounts
of power are typically caused by electrical
shorts. Investigators believe this
latest incident was no exception. The
blaze also started on the first floor.
" When the fire broke out, I tried to
run down to the first floor, but I saw
too much fire there, so I ran to the
rooftop to find shelter, " a survivor of
the blaze said from his hospital bed,
according to the Bangkok Post. There
he met others who had done the
same, and they waited about an hour
to be rescued. " There was so much
smoke I could not breathe, " the
man said.
Seoul, South Korea
Crowd crush kills scores
of Halloween revelers
A popular Halloween celebration
took a deadly turn in Seoul in late
October, when 156 revelers died in
a crowd crush that left the country
shaken and searching for answers.
The incident occurred October
29 in the city's Itaewon section, a
destination known for its clubs and
restaurants. Crowds descended on
Itaewon throughout the day, and by
that evening an estimated 100,000
people had jammed into the area.
Participants began making emergency
calls to authorities warning of
an increasingly dangerous situation.
According to reports, 137 police officers
were at the scene, primarily for
traffic and crime prevention.
The crowd crush began when
throngs of people surged into a
narrow alley from three directions.
People began to fall and were unable
to get up, prompting more people to
fall. Most of the victims were in
their teens and 20s.
In the days that followed, South
Korean officials faced waves of public
recrimination over the incident. The
nation's police chief acknowledged
that the response to the emergency
calls was " inadequate, " and the local
police chief responsible for the
district that includes Itaewon was
suspended and replaced. An investigation
into the police response to the
incident continues.
According to reports, South Korean
President Yoon Suk-yeol told the government
to create a crowd control
system for spontaneous events that
have no organizers, while calling on
his cabinet to take " heavy responsibility "
for public safety.
Middle East and North Africa
NFPA names new MENA director
Dana Kamal has been named NFPA's
director of international business
development for the Middle East and
North Africa (MENA).
Kamal is a biomedical engineer with
more than 20 years of experience in
health care business development
and operations. In her new role with
NFPA, she'll work to cultivate alliances
throughout the MENA regions, implement
new strategies with existing
and new stakeholders, and represent
NFPA in regulatory, legislative, media,
and technical circles. Kamal will also
work closely with the MENA Advisory
Committee, established in 2017, which
champions effective code compliance
in the built environment.
" NFPA has a long-standing presence
in the Middle East, working closely
with government officials and private
entities conducting business in the
Gulf region, " said NFPA President Jim
Pauley. " The region has experienced
unprecedented growth in recent
years, and it is critical for authorities,
the workforce, and the public to
ensure safety practices keep pace with
progress. The experience and knowledge
Dana brings to this role is vital
to the work we do to provide relevant
resources in Arabic for those charged
with protecting people
and property. "
NFPA .ORG/JOURNAL * NFPA JOURNAL | 17
A police officer at the
scene of a Halloween
crowd crush that killed
scores of people in
Seoul, South Korea.
KIM JAE-HWAN/SOPA IMAGES / LIGHTROCKET VIA GETTY IMAGES
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NFPA Journal - Winter 2022

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