South Korea: Death toll rises to three in Seoul overpass collapse
Seoul, May 26
An ageing overpass in Seoul, which was undergoing removal, partially collapsed Tuesday, leaving three people dead and three others injured, officials said.
Parts of the Seosomun Overpass, located in western Seoul, and other construction debris fell to the ground at 2:32 pm, killing two men in their 50s and 60s. One of the injured victims was later pronounced dead, raising the death toll to three.
The three surviving injured workers -- men in their 30s, 40s and 50s -- suffered injuries to the waist, head and ribs, officials said.
A total of 13 people were near the site at the time of the collapse, but seven evacuated safely, according to officials, Yonhap news agency reported.
"Workers had stopped overnight demolition work and entered between the girders for a safety inspection at around 2 pm when the girders appeared to have collapsed," Lee Jong-woon, an official at the Seodaemun Fire Station, said. Girders are a type of support beam used to help support the structure.
The debris also fell on a nearby railway, prompting the Korea Railroad Corp. to suspend rail operations between Seoul Station and Sinchon Station.
The overpass had been scheduled to be torn down by early next month.
President Lee Jae Myung ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident and instructed officials to devise measures to prevent a recurrence, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a release.
Lee also ordered utmost efforts to deal with the aftermath of the accident and treat those injured, she said.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok earlier ordered the full mobilisation of equipment and personnel to rescue victims.
Kim said that the Seoul city government, the land ministry and other related agencies should extend full cooperation for rescue efforts while identifying medical facilities capable of accepting victims and swiftly transporting the injured to minimise casualties.
Kim also asked officials to ensure the safety of rescue workers and restrict access to the scene to prevent further casualties.
Later in the day, the Seoul metropolitan government activated its disaster and safety countermeasures headquarters.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Overpass collapse in Seoul, a city known for its infrastructure. This should be a lesson for our own urban planners in India. We have so many aging flyovers and bridges; we need rigorous safety audits before any demolition. Hope the investigation is thorough.
Terrible news. It's alarming that the collapse happened during a safety inspection. This shows the risk of relying on old infrastructure. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. I hope President Lee's call for a thorough investigation leads to proper accountability.
So sad 🙏. In India too, we see such accidents often. I hope South Korea's government takes strict action and compensates the families. Also, the workers should have been evacuated before the safety check if the structure was unstable. Haste can lead to such disasters.
While I feel for the victims, I must say this is a wake-up call globally. Countries like India and South Korea need better real-time monitoring of aged structures. The fact that the demolition was to be completed by next month shows urgency might have compromised safety. RIP.
This is a tragedy. I hope the injured recover quickly. It's good that the Prime Minister ordered full mobilization, but prevention is better. Let's learn from this—infrastructure safety should be a top priority everywhere, not just in the West or Asia.
K We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.