Gwangju Apartment Collapse Site Strengthens Safety Measures to Prevent Secondary Accidents

Decision on Resuming Search After Expert Advisory Panel Meeting

On the 1st, rescue workers are conducting a search by using heavy machinery to remove debris at the site of a newly constructed apartment collapse in Hwajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Gwangju Fire Safety Headquarters

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Cho Hyung-joo] Safety measures to prevent secondary accidents will be further strengthened at the site of the collapse of a newly constructed apartment building in Gwangju, built by Hyundai Development Company, where the search for missing persons was halted due to falling concrete debris.

The Central Accident Response Headquarters and the Regional Accident Response Headquarters stated at a regular briefing on the morning of the 3rd, "We have further strengthened safety measures to prevent secondary accidents following the fall of concrete debris yesterday."

After the concrete debris fell the previous day, the Central Response Headquarters issued hazard warning whistles to safety personnel.

Additionally, individual access cards required for entry into Building 201 were issued, and the entry and exit routes were changed to safe zones to enhance safety measures against secondary accidents.

From 7 a.m. that day, three search dogs were deployed to conduct focused searches from the 22nd to the 29th floors, but no notable findings have been reported so far.

Lee Il, Director of the 119 Response Bureau at the Fire Agency, explained, "The buried person found on the 26th floor is located in a more dangerous position toward the direction where the tower crane is standing, and the environment is skewed outward, with many residual materials, so the rescue will take time."

The Central Response Headquarters and the Regional Accident Response Headquarters plan to decide whether to resume full-scale search and rescue operations around 2 p.m. that day, based on the results of an expert advisory meeting.

Separately, Hyundai Development Company continues debris removal work to secure building stabilization.

Currently, in preparation for additional concrete block falls on the 26th floor, three 12.5mm wires have been tied together, and wire reinforcement work is underway on the 38th-floor slab.

Meanwhile, at around 8:07 a.m. the previous day, a large concrete slab hanging over the west retaining wall (Line 1) on the 28th floor of Building 201 of the collapsed apartment fell, causing a temporary suspension of search and rescue operations.

At the accident site, about 150 workers and search and rescue teams were working, but no casualties occurred as they sensed abnormal signs in advance and evacuated urgently.

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