South Korea overpass collapse kills 3 people during safety inspection
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Search and rescue operations are under way at the site of an overpass collapse in western Seoul, on May 26.
PHOTO: EPA
SEOUL – A section of an overpass under demolition in the South Korean capital, Seoul, collapsed on May 26, killing three people who were conducting a safety inspection and injuring three others, fire and city officials said.
Television footage showed emergency workers conducting a search-and-rescue operation as a long segment of the structure lay collapsed on the street below, near a railway crossing in central Seoul.
Workers detected signs of instability in the structure overnight and suspended the demolition early on May 26 for a safety inspection, a Seoul city official said.
The section collapsed on the afternoon of May 26 while safety inspectors were inside the support structure, the official said.
All the people killed and injured were senior city public works officials and a private sector expert conducting the inspection, a fire official said.
The overpass, built in 1966, was being demolished due to safety defects in the ageing structure, he said.
The first fire crew arrived at the scene at around 2.38pm, six minutes after the report was received, The Korea Herald reported. Fire authorities issued a Level 1 emergency response at around 2.49pm, mobilising 62 personnel and 16 vehicles to the site.
Five additional ambulances were also dispatched, while about 30 police officers were sent to the scene.
Emergency officials relayed safety precautions to field responders at around 2.42pm and reported the situation by phone to the National Crisis Management Center and other relevant authorities.
Korail said train operations between Seoul Station and Sinchon Station had been suspended following the collapse, affecting the Gyeongui Line and other nearby services.
Following the accident, two leading candidates in Seoul’s June 3 mayoral election temporarily suspended campaigning activities.
Mr Chong Won-o of the Democratic Party of Korea said his campaign activities would be halted as accident response efforts took priority.
“Campaigning will be temporarily suspended. Accident recovery is the top priority,” Mr Chong’s camp said in a statement, adding that the candidate would immediately visit the collapse site.
Mr Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party also announced the suspension of campaign activities in a Facebook post.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of citizens,” Mr Oh wrote. “I will stop campaigning from this moment and head to the scene immediately to inspect the situation firsthand.”
Mr Oh urged Seoul city officials and relevant authorities to make every effort to prevent further casualties and ensure swift rescue operations. He said authorities would thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and focus all efforts on recovery.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok also issued an emergency directive after being briefed on the collapse on the afternoon of May 26.
Multiple workers were caught in the collapse as the city had been tearing down the overpass, built in 1966, due to structural failure.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Mr Kim instructed the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Fire Agency to mobilise all available personnel and equipment for rescue operations. He also called on related agencies to provide manpower and equipment needed at the scene and to fully cooperate with rescue workers.
Mr Kim ordered authorities to identify nearby medical facilities capable of receiving victims and ensure the rapid transport of injured people to minimise casualties.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the accident. REUTERS, THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
