At least 1 dead, 6 trapped after structure collapses at South Korean power plant
SEOUL, South Korea — Tragedy struck in Ulsan, South Korea, as a 60-meter tower collapsed during demolition work at a decommissioned thermal power plant. The incident resulted in the death of at least one person, with six others trapped under the rubble, according to officials on Friday.
Rescuers managed to locate one of the trapped individuals, who is feared dead, but have been unable to extricate them from the debris. Two other workers were successfully rescued shortly after the collapse on Thursday afternoon.
Tragically, another worker rescued later was pronounced dead at a hospital early Friday, as confirmed by Kim Jeong-shik, an official from Ulsan’s fire department.
The search for the remaining trapped individuals was halted on Friday morning due to concerns over unstable rubble, with plans to resume after stabilization efforts are implemented, Kim added.
“We have deployed rescue dogs and various detection equipment on site, including thermal cameras and endoscopes, to aid in the search efforts,” Kim explained during a briefing.
Initial reports indicated that the first two rescued individuals sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Over 340 rescue workers, along with 90 vehicles and equipment, have been mobilized for the search and rescue operation.
In response to the collapse, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials to utilize all available resources for the rescue mission while prioritizing the safety of rescue personnel working amidst the rubble.
The power plant, decommissioned in 2021 after four decades of operation, had been preparing for the demolition of the weakened boiler tower, one of three structures on the site, as per officials.
