At least 4 dead after collapse at highway bridge construction side

Earlier this morning, structures supporting a bridge under construction collapsed in the city of Anseong, killing four workers.

Investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the incident.

Ahn Sung-jin brings the latest.

At least 4 people died and 6 were injured, some seriously, on early Tuesday after the collapse of concrete structures supporting a highway bridge under construction in Anseong, south of the country's capital Seoul.

All of the casualties were workers at the site on the Seoul-Sejong Expressway.

The construction workers were on the underdeck installing support beams when five 50-meter concrete structures collapsed.

The National Fire Agency was quick to issue a nationwide emergency order, while completing its rescue efforts.

"The police and fire departments are cooperating to identify the exact cause of the incident, but nothing has been found so far."

However, speculation has arisen that the catastrophe may have happened in the process of installing the underdecks after one of the beams was loaded, leading one to collapse after the other like dominoes.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for the mobilization of all available personnel and resources to prevent any further damage.

The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said it will form an investigative team with 78 members to determine the cause of the collapse.

The police also plan to thoroughly examine whether there are any grounds to file involuntary manslaughter charges.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety asked Anseong to do its best to support the victims and their family members, while the Ministry of Land and Infrastructure established a response headquarters to oversee the prompt resolution of the incident.

The main contractor of the construction side, Hyundai Engineering, issued an official apology and stated that it is actively cooperating with the relevant authorities to ensure the correct identification of the cause of the collapse.

Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.