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CNN Live At Daybreak

Hundreds of South Koreans Trapped in Burning Subway Car

Aired February 18, 2003 - 05:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: On to a developing story now. Hundreds of South Koreans trapped in a burning subway car with no way to get out. At least 47 are dead and a man with a milk carton is to blame, according to investigators.
Rebecca MacKinnon joins us live from Seoul, South Korea with more on this tragedy -- Rebecca.

REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the nightmare, Carol, continues down south in the city of Daegu, where rescue workers continue to try and extricate bodies but are increasingly pessimistic that they'll find any more people alive. Now, the death toll officially is 47 dead and then the casualty figures is 133 injured at this point. Those figures are expected to rise, particularly the death toll, with eyewitness accounts from firefighters who say they've seen as many as, they estimate, 100 bodies still trapped in the subway cars.

Now, this is a 12 car subway. It is believed to have been an arson attack. A man is currently under police custody, where he also is in the hospital because he himself was injured in the blaze. Now, this man is middle aged. He was seen by witnesses setting fire to a carton with flammable material, which he lit with a lighter. And right now the rescue effort is continuing -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Rebecca MacKinnon reporting live from Seoul, South Korea for us this morning.

For more on the South Korean subway fire, log onto our Web site, all the latest news, at cnn.com/world.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 18, 2003 - 05:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: On to a developing story now. Hundreds of South Koreans trapped in a burning subway car with no way to get out. At least 47 are dead and a man with a milk carton is to blame, according to investigators.
Rebecca MacKinnon joins us live from Seoul, South Korea with more on this tragedy -- Rebecca.

REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the nightmare, Carol, continues down south in the city of Daegu, where rescue workers continue to try and extricate bodies but are increasingly pessimistic that they'll find any more people alive. Now, the death toll officially is 47 dead and then the casualty figures is 133 injured at this point. Those figures are expected to rise, particularly the death toll, with eyewitness accounts from firefighters who say they've seen as many as, they estimate, 100 bodies still trapped in the subway cars.

Now, this is a 12 car subway. It is believed to have been an arson attack. A man is currently under police custody, where he also is in the hospital because he himself was injured in the blaze. Now, this man is middle aged. He was seen by witnesses setting fire to a carton with flammable material, which he lit with a lighter. And right now the rescue effort is continuing -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Rebecca MacKinnon reporting live from Seoul, South Korea for us this morning.

For more on the South Korean subway fire, log onto our Web site, all the latest news, at cnn.com/world.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com