'Gwangju Collapse Accident' Search on 7th Day Ends Empty-Handed Again... Difficulties Due to Risk of Second Collapse

Structural and Safety Inspection Expert: "Tower Crane Condition Unstable... Reinforcement Work Needed"

Opinions Divided on Additional Retaining Wall Collapse Risk... Emergency Safety Inspection Scheduled for the 18th

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] The search operation for the five missing workers at the Hwajeong I-Park collapse accident in Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City is showing signs of prolongation. The dismantling of the tower crane is being postponed due to the risk of a secondary collapse.

According to the Accident Response Headquarters on the 17th, an advisory group consisting of 12 building structure and safety diagnosis experts judged in the first and second meetings that the current state of the tower crane (height 145m), which is leaning toward the apartment, is very dangerous.

There is a high risk of a secondary collapse during the partial dismantling of the tower crane using a mobile crane (height 120m).

The advisory group plans to discuss again on the 17th the dismantling of the tower crane and reinforcement methods such as tying the equipment with wires to prevent it from falling.

Until the advisory group’s analysis that it is 'safe' comes out, precise searches of the upper floors (23rd to 38th floors), where other buried victims are presumed to be, have come to a complete halt.

Currently, the upper floors are filled with debris, and there are cliff-like spaces, so only simple searches using equipment such as endoscopes are continuing.

A fire department official explained, "Since the ground-level search is nearing completion, we are trying to prepare quickly for the upper floors as well," adding, "This is a matter that requires consultation between rescue and search experts."

Opinions differ on the possibility of additional collapse of the apartment retaining wall. The majority opinion of the advisory group is that it is 'safe.' They plan to conduct an additional emergency safety diagnosis to decide the direction.

The assembly of the 1200-ton mobile crane for dismantling the tower crane has been completed, and another crane brought in will also be assembled by the end of the day.

The debris piled up on the basement first floor and ground first floor has all been removed, but debris remains on the ground 2nd to 3rd floors and basement floors near the tower crane, and excavators and dump trucks are being mobilized to clear it.

During the search on this day, rescue dogs were deployed twice, but there was no notable reaction.

A fire department official stated, "Securing a safe zone for firefighters is very important, so a floor plan of the collapse area will be separately created, and based on this, methods such as reinforcement by floor will be explored."

The accident occurred around 3:46 p.m. on the 11th at the apartment construction site when the outer walls of the 23rd to 38th floors of Building 201 collapsed.

As a result, one worker died and five went missing. They are presumed to have been responsible for window and fire-fighting equipment work on the 28th to 34th floors of the collapsed building.