SEOUL – A tragic incident unfolded at a bustling outdoor market in South Korea when a truck barreled into a crowd, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to 18 others on Thursday, according to local authorities.

The deceased were confirmed at a hospital shortly after the accident, which occurred just before 11 a.m. in Bucheon, a city in close proximity to Seoul.

Among those injured, nine individuals sustained severe injuries, as reported by the municipal government in Bucheon. However, it remains uncertain whether any of these injuries pose a threat to life.

Authorities have taken the truck driver, a man in his 60s, into custody for questioning. According to Son Byeong-sam, a police official from Bucheon, there is no indication of alcohol or drug influence involved in the driver’s actions.

Witness accounts, shared by Park Geum-cheon from Bucheon’s fire department, reveal that the truck initially reversed over a distance of approximately 28 meters (92 feet) before accelerating forward for 150 meters (492 feet), striking pedestrians along the route.

The driver claimed his vehicle had malfunctioned and that officials were reviewing security camera footage, he said.

Photos from the scene showed the truck jammed into a storefront in a jumble of debris, including toppled boxes, clothing and broken signboards. The front left side of the truck was mangled and its windows were shattered. Officials later removed the vehicle from the scene to investigate the crash.

Bucheon will support the restoration of damaged facilities, Mayor Cho Yong-eek said in a statement, adding that the city also will conduct safety inspections and provide psychological support for merchants and others who witnessed the crash.

Cho’s office did not immediately have an estimate of the property damage, including the number of shops that were impacted.