Construction Accidents
South Korean Bridge Partially Collapses During Construction, Killing Four Workers
Four workers were killed and six injured in the partial collapse of an under-construction highway bridge Feb. 25 near Cheonan, South Korea.
Photo courtesy South Korea Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
An under-construction highway bridge partially collapsed in South Korea Feb. 25, killing four workers and injuring six others. The cause was not immediately clear.
Officials said girder launching equipment fell over while workers were moving it. Photos show falling beams, eah 50 meters long, Yonhap News Agency reported. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport officials said the collapse occurred at 9:49 a.m. local time on Sejong-Anseong Expressway Section 9 near Cheonan, about 50 miles south of Seoul.
A driver’s dashcam on the road below the bridge recorded a portion of the collapse:
Contractor Hyundai Engineering Co. and subcontractor Jangheon Industry were working on the project for Korea Expressway Corp., according to the ministry. In a statement, Hyundai Engineering apologized for the deaths and injuries. The contractor added that it is cooperating with authorities for the investigation.
The bridge is to be part of the 122-km Sejong-Pocheon Expressway. Its first section, from Anseong to Guri, opened in January, with the second scheduled for completion late next year.
