Search Resumes at Dangerous Gwangju Collapse Site After Concrete Debris Fall

Jungsubon and Advisory Group Meeting Judge 'Risk Remains'... Search to Proceed After Safety Measures Considering Urgency

Image of the building status of the apartment construction collapse accident on the 3rd

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Cho Hyung-joo] Search and rescue operations at the site of the collapsed newly constructed apartment building in Gwangju, built by Hyundai Development Company, which had been halted due to falling concrete debris, have resumed.

The Central Accident Response Headquarters and the Regional Accident Response Headquarters announced on the 3rd that although there remains a risk in the search and rescue activities at Building 201, which collapsed, they resumed operations from 4:30 PM after implementing safety measures considering the urgency.

Thirteen experts from related agencies of the Central Accident Response Headquarters, the Korea Infrastructure Safety & Technology Corporation, and others inspected the site and held an advisory meeting.

As a result of the meeting, it was confirmed that there were no additional changes on the 24th floor, where cracks were found in the core section due to concrete debris estimated to weigh 26 tons that fell the previous day. However, continuous monitoring of crack expansion will be conducted using automatic crack measuring devices and others.

Additionally, as a safety measure following the debris fall the previous day, reinforcement work will be carried out on the slab of the 26th floor on the west side, and debris around the 38th-floor slab on the south exterior wall will be secured with wires.

Furthermore, installation of protective barriers to safeguard workers will be promoted as soon as possible.

It was also determined that search and rescue activities in the upper sections are possible if jack supports are reinforced on the west side from the 17th to 22nd floors and on the east side from the 19th to 23rd floors.

However, the 28th floor, which poses risk factors, will be designated as a safety zone by the fire department.

Currently, work on the west side from the 17th to 22nd floors has been completed, but on the east side, only the urgently needed reinforcement on the 21st to 23rd floors out of the 23rd to 29th floors has been finished. The 19th and 20th floors are expected to be completed by the 6th.

Moreover, opinions were raised that after completing the search and rescue operations to recover the missing persons, fundamental safety risk factors such as demolition of the south exterior wall need to be addressed.

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 11th of last month at 3:46 PM, during concrete pouring work on the 39th floor of Building 201 at Hwajeong I-Park, floors 23 to 38 collapsed, injuring one person and leaving six missing. Of the six missing, two were recovered deceased, the burial locations of two others have been identified but are covered with debris, and the locations of the remaining two have not been determined.

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