Deadly bridge collapse kills four construction workers, injures six

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At least four people lost their lives earlier on this Tuesday following a catastrophic collapse at a construction site on the Seoul-Sejong Expressway.

Park Kun-woo has the latest.

The bridge under construction was on the Cheonan-Ansung section of the expressway, which will link the capital to the administrative center in Sejong.

Four construction workers were killed in the bridge collapse, while six others were injured, some seriously.

The National Fire Agency quickly issued a nationwide emergency stand-by order, dispatching nearly 200 personnel with equipment to cope with the damage.

Rescue efforts were concluded around 2:30 PM.

While the exact cause is still under investigation, it's known the incident progressed after five bridge decks, supported by piers, 상판 5개가 기둥에서 이탈하면서 10명의 작업자를 덮치면서 사고가 발생했습니다.

Hyundai Engineering is the lead contractor of the bridge building and road connection.

Following the incident, the transport ministry set up an accident response headquarters to address the situation and develop measures to prevent a similar incident.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety also visited the site and ordered nearby road construction areas to be secured in the case of any additional collapses, while stressing the importance of firefighter safety.

The ministry also said it would do its best to support the surviving victims and bereaved family members.

The Seoul-Sejong expressway is divided into two parts, one within the greater Seoul Metropolitan Area and the other outside this linking to Sejong, where Tuesday's incident occurred.

While the metropolitan part was opened for use at the beginning of this year, it's expected that there will be delays in the non-metropolitan section due to the collapse.

The expressway was originally slated for completion by the end of 2026.

Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.