A 60-meter (196-foot) tower fell during demolition efforts at a disused thermal power plant in Ulsan, South Korea, resulting in at least one death and six individuals trapped beneath the debris, local officials reported on Friday.
Rescue teams discovered one person who might be deceased but couldn’t retrieve them from the rubble. Meanwhile, two others were rescued shortly after the incident, which occurred Thursday afternoon.
An employee, who was later rescued, was tragically declared dead at a hospital early Friday, according to Kim Jong-sik, an official from the Ulsan City Fire Department.
Kim also indicated that the search for the others was temporarily halted Friday morning due to fears about unstable debris, with plans to resume once stabilization measures were in place.
“We have dispatched rescue dogs and are actively searching. We’re utilizing a variety of detection tools, like thermal cameras and endoscopes,” Kim mentioned during a briefing.
Earlier reports from officials stated that the first two individuals rescued did not suffer life-threatening injuries. Over 340 rescue workers, along with about 90 vehicles and equipment, were engaged in the ongoing search and rescue operations.
Following the collapse, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung ordered that all available personnel and equipment be mobilized for rescue efforts, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the safety of those working among the rubble.
The power plant had been decommissioned in 2021 after 40 years of operation, and officials noted that the boiler tower, one of three at the facility, had weakened in the lead-up to its demolition.
