The collapse of a bridge at an expressway construction site in Cheonan, South Korea, killed at least two people and injured five more. Five 50-meter steel supports crashed one by one early on February 25 around 9:50 AM, causing the accident.
Recovery is in progress.
The Fire Agency says officials have started a race to find three persons believed to be under the rubble. South Korea’s National Fire Agency officially verified two death after early Yonhap reports indicated three. Of the five in critical condition, four still remain in great shape.
On X, a video of the collapse shows the bridge falling apart under a huge cloud of fume covering site.
Watch the video here:
Government’s answer is to act
Acting President Choi Sang-mok has ordered all needed personnel and resources for the rescue operation to be dispatched by the government.
Data from Seoul‘s Labour Ministry suggests that between 2020 and 2023, over 8,000 work-related fatalities have happened in South Korea, therefore underlining continuous safety issues in their building industry.
Earlier bridge collapse incident
South Korea has experienced other similar catastrophes. The collapse of a part of the guardrail and neighboring sidewalk on Jeongja Bridge on April 5, 2023 resulted in the death of a 40-year girl. A 20-year-old male fell roughly five meters onto a walking path below as well suffered severe damage.
