Two people were killed and 18 others injured on Thursday after a truck ploughed into a crowded open-air market in the South Korean city of Bucheon, officials from the police and fire departments confirmed.
Police official Son Byung-sam stated that the driver, a man in his sixties, was taken into custody for questioning. Authorities confirmed that he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident.
Bucheon is located in the greater Seoul metropolitan area, west of the capital.
According to a fire department official, the truck appeared to have reversed for around 28 meters before suddenly accelerating towards the market. The driver reportedly claimed that a sudden acceleration malfunction caused the crash.
Police said the vehicle will be handed over to investigators to determine the exact cause of the accident.
CCTV footage broadcast by South Korean television showed shoppers strolling through the open-air market moments before a blue truck sped down a narrow lane lined with stalls and slammed into a shop.
The Yonhap news agency reported that the driver, who is in his sixties, has been arrested and remains under investigation.
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