Strong Winds Overturn Formwork... No Casualties Reported
On the afternoon of the 13th, a 118 paramedic is searching for missing persons at the site of a newly constructed apartment collapse accident in Seo-gu, Gwangju. A collapse accident occurred on the exterior wall of an apartment in Hwajeong-dong, Gwangju Metropolitan City, and while the accident recovery is ongoing, a structure overturning accident also occurred in Gumi, Gyeongbuk. Due to strong winds and cold weather, construction sites nationwide are on high alert.
According to the construction industry on the 13th, at the 'Jungheung S-Class Eduforet' apartment construction site in the Gumi National Industrial Complex expansion area in Gyeongbuk, part of a structure collapsed due to strong winds.
The accident occurred when a formwork measuring 5.7 meters in height and about 30 meters in length collapsed in the middle due to strong winds. It appears that the scaffolding system (work platform) installation for formwork preparation collapsed due to a gust of wind during the work.
It was reported that no casualties occurred as the construction was temporarily halted due to the strong winds that day.
A Jungheung Construction official said, "The formwork was set up before concrete pouring, but the system for the formwork work seemed to have tilted due to the strong winds," adding, "Work was stopped because of the strong winds, and there were no people nearby, so no casualties occurred."
Snow is falling at the site of the newly built apartment collapse accident in Seo-gu, Gwangju on the afternoon of the 13th.
The collapse accident at Hwajeong I-Park in Gwangju on the 11th is also analyzed to have been significantly influenced by strong winds. In addition to construction and management negligence, environmental factors such as strong winds and cold weather combined to lead to the major accident.
Among experts so far, the most commonly cited cause of the collapse is the hypothesis that the wall, unable to withstand external forces, collapsed due to strong winds blowing while excessive concrete pouring loads were applied.
There is also a possibility that the collapse occurred because construction proceeded excessively while the concrete curing was insufficient and the strength was weak during the winter season. In cold winter temperatures, concrete does not dry well, so curing work involving sufficient time and hot air treatment to harden it strongly is necessary. It is analyzed that due to poor curing, the lower layers could not support the weight of the gang form, causing the lower floors to collapse as well.
It was actually reported that the day of the accident had weather with strong winds and snowstorms.
As construction site accidents continue, local governments nationwide have launched emergency safety inspections of large construction sites. This is a preventive measure to avoid similar accidents.
Busan City announced on the 12th that it will conduct emergency safety inspections on 108 large construction sites in the city by the 21st. Daegu City will also conduct special safety inspections on 175 large construction sites over 10,000㎡ in the city from the 17th to the 28th.
Jeonnam Province plans to form a joint inspection team with fire stations and private experts to thoroughly inspect 67 apartment construction sites in the province. Gwangju Urban Corporation will also conduct special safety inspections on multi-use facilities and major projects managed by the corporation with external experts until the 28th.
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