2 Dead in Collapse of Aged House Remodeling in Busan

On the 21st, firefighters are conducting rescue operations at the site where workers were buried due to the collapse of a detached house in Yeonje-gu, Busan. By 2 p.m., three of the five buried individuals were rescued. The fire authorities are continuing rescue efforts for the remaining two buried individuals. (Source=Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyo-jin] A two-story detached house undergoing remodeling in Busan collapsed, burying five workers; three were rescued, while two were found dead.

At 11:04 a.m. on the 21st, a two-story detached house under remodeling suddenly collapsed in Yeonsan-dong, Yeonje-gu, Busan.

At the time, eight people were working on the first floor of the house, but only three managed to evacuate urgently as the building collapsed, and the remaining five were buried under the rubble.

Immediately after the accident, the fire authorities issued a 'Response Level 1' alert and rescued Lee (28) and Kim (61) among the buried within about four minutes.

Lee, who suffered injuries to the waist and legs, was transported to the hospital and is reported to have minor injuries.

Kim also sustained minor wounds to his right leg.

Among the remaining three buried, Lee (61) was rescued around 2 p.m., three hours after the accident, but is in critical condition.

At 3:16 p.m., a man in his 70s was rescued and taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead.

About 20 minutes later, the last fifth buried person, a woman in her 60s, was found and transported to the hospital but also died.

Lee, who was seriously injured, was working on the remodeling project along with seven other workers, including his son in his 20s, on that day.

The police confirmed that during the remodeling process of the accident house, some walls and doors were removed and H-beams were installed.

The police are investigating the cause of the accident, considering the possibility that the building weakened and collapsed due to structural changes made to the 46-year-old aged house.