Four Days After Yangju 'Sampyo Quarry Collapse Accident,' Missing Persons Still Not Found

Deployment of Snow Removal Equipment for Missing Person Search
Ministry of Employment and Labor and Police Investigate Cause and Negligence of Accident

Collapse Accident at Yangju Quarry, Snow Removal Equipment Deployed for Missing Person Search
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] As of 2 p.m. on the fourth day since the collapse accident at the Sampyo Industrial quarry in Yangju-si, Gyeonggi Province, the buried Mr. Jeong (52) has not yet been found.

The fire rescue team stated, "Together with the police, we are continuing the search for the missing person by using snow removal equipment to clear the snow that fell and accumulated since the night of the previous day (31st)."

The rescue team previously conducted searches focusing on the area around where two buried victims were found and carried out leveling work around the work zone.

Along with drainage work, they are also preparing to ensure safety by installing measuring instruments at the boundary of the collapse site.

However, the search operation along the rock boundary toward the collapse point has been temporarily suspended due to the risk of additional collapse.

Meanwhile, investigations by the Ministry of Labor and the police regarding the cause of the accident are ongoing.

On the 31st of last month, the Ministry of Labor conducted a surprise raid on the Sampyo Industrial Yangju branch office and the offices of subcontractors to verify violations of the Serious Accident Punishment Act.

The police requested autopsies on the two deceased and received a preliminary opinion from the National Forensic Service stating death due to "multiple injuries and compressive asphyxia."

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

As a result of this accident, three workers including Mr. Jeong were buried, and the excavator operator Mr. Kim (55) and another drilling machine operator Mr. Jeong (28) were found dead on the day of the accident.

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