One hospitalized for cardiac arrest after 13-vehicle pileup in northern Seoul

Police and authorities clean up the accident, which occurred on Friday morning in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul. [NEWS1]

Seventeen people were injured, with one sent to the hospital under a cardiac arrest, after a crash involving multiple cars occurred in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul, on Friday morning.

According to the police and fire department, the collision was caused when a one-ton truck was run over by a cement mixer truck that had rolled over on the Dolgoji Station-bound lanes of Hwarang-ro in Seongbuk District at 9:21 a.m.

Due to the rollover, 13 vehicles crashed into each other, including one motorcycle.

Of the 17 injured, five were immediately transferred to a hospital, according to media reports.

Among the five, the driver of the run-over one-ton truck was found experiencing cardiac arrest. Another driver was reportedly sent to the hospital with severe injuries.

The police presume that the mixer truck driver was unable to hit the brakes while driving downhill and will investigate the exact cause of the accident based on evidence, including the truck's event data recorder.

Nearby traffic has been blocked to cleanup the accident, causing major congestion around the area.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]