Collapse at Yangju Sampyo Industrial Quarry: Victims Suffer 'Multiple Injuries and Compression Asphyxia'

Police Investigate Sampyo Industry for 'Negligent Homicide' Charges

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] An autopsy opinion has been released regarding the two workers who were buried and died in the collapse accident at the Sampyo Industrial quarry in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province.

The Yangju Police Department stated, "The autopsies of the deceased excavator operator Kim (55) and drilling machine operator Jeong (28) were conducted on the morning of the 31st. The National Forensic Service reported a preliminary opinion that the cause of death is presumed to be 'multiple injuries and compressive asphyxia'."

Among the buried workers, another Jeong (52) has not yet been found, and the fire department and police have been conducting search operations for the third day.

The police are investigating Sampyo Industrial officials on charges of professional negligence resulting in death. The Ministry of Employment and Labor is also investigating whether Sampyo Industrial violated the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

A serious industrial accident is defined as an industrial accident that meets one or more of the following conditions: one or more deaths, two or more injuries requiring treatment for more than six months from the same accident, or three or more cases of occupational diseases caused by the same harmful factor within one year.

There is interest in whether Sampyo Industrial will become the first company to be subject to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

Earlier, on the morning of the 29th at around 10:08 a.m., about 300,000㎥ (approximately 20 meters high) of soil collapsed while drilling holes for rock blasting at the Sampyo Industrial Yangju quarry in Dohari, Eunhyeon-myeon, Yangju-si, burying three workers including Jeong.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.