25.11.13.Today News : 1-Ton Truck Crashes Through Bucheon Market: 2 Dead, 19 Injured; Driver Claims Brake Failure

1-Ton Truck Crashes Through Bucheon Market: 2 Dead, 19 Injured; Driver Claims Brake Failure

📍60-Year-Old Vendor Drove 150 Meters Through Narrow Market Lane; Police Suspect Pedal Misoperation

A one-ton truck plowed through a crowded traditional market in Bucheon, killing two people and injuring 19 others. The driver claimed his brakes failed, but police suspect he may have mistakenly pressed the wrong pedal.

A one-ton truck plowed into a market, killing two citizens and injuring 19 others.

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🔹Truck Plows 150 Meters Through Market Lane
At around 10:55 a.m. on the 13th, a one-ton truck driven by a 67-year-old man surnamed Kim sped through the Jeil Market in Bucheon’s Ojeong District, injuring 21 people in total. Two women — a Korean in her 70s and a Chinese national in her 60s — died after being rushed to the hospital. The truck, which had just finished unloading goods, reversed about 28 meters before suddenly moving forward, accelerating through the narrow market path lined with stalls.

The vehicle finally came to a stop after smashing into a clothing store, leaving shattered glass and twisted debris scattered across the market. Witnesses described the scene as “chaotic and terrifying.”

🔹Driver Claims “Brake Didn’t Work,” Police Not Convinced
Kim, who has operated a fish shop in the market for about 20 years, claimed that the brakes failed. “He kept saying ‘the brake didn’t work,’” recalled one merchant. Another witness described the truck’s speed as “at least 80 km/h.”

However, investigators doubt the claim. CCTV footage showed that the truck’s brake lights never illuminated during the crash. Police also confirmed that Kim was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

🔹Police Investigate Pedal Misoperation, Analyze Vehicle Data
Authorities suspect Kim may have accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake. Kim’s family said he has been suffering from moyamoya disease — a rare condition that narrows brain arteries and can cause dizziness or temporary paralysis. Police have requested the National Forensic Service to analyze the vehicle’s Event Data Recorder (EDR) to determine whether mechanical failure occurred. Kim has been arrested on charges of fatal negligent driving, and police are considering applying for a detention warrant.

🔹Witnesses Recall “Scene of Panic”
Witnesses described the aftermath as “a battlefield.” “People were bleeding and screaming everywhere,” said merchant Park, 65. Emergency crews deployed 20 vehicles and 70 personnel to the site, rescuing victims and clearing debris. Nineteen injured people remain hospitalized.

One-line summary : A 1-ton truck driven by a 60-year-old vendor sped through Bucheon Jeil Market, killing two and injuring 19, as police investigate whether pedal misoperation — not brake failure — caused the crash.