An official dealing with safety measures at a concert in South Korea where 16 people died when the grate they were standing on collapsed (apparently) committed suicide hours after the tragedy, authorities said earlier today.
The death of the 37-year-old local government official, (surnamed) Oh, was announced as South Korean police launched an investigation into yesterday’s incident at an outdoor pop concert in the city of Seongnam.
The victims were standing on a ventilation grating to get a better view when the structure collapsed under their weight, sending them plunging 18.7 metres (62 feet) down into an underground parking area.
Amateur video footage obtained by the YTN news channel showed shocked spectators surrounding the collapsed grate as the popular all-girl K-pop band 4Minute, continued performing on stage.
Disaster relief spokesman Kim Nam-Jun told journalists Saturday that Oh, who worked with a group sponsoring the concert, apparently committed suicide after jumping off a building near where the tragedy took place.
