[Report] Bent Dorim Pedestrian Overpass... "Passed 2 Hours Before the Accident"

Visiting the Pedestrian Overpass from Sindorim Station to Dorim-dong in Person

Dorim Pedestrian Overpass was bustling from the morning as excavators and traffic controllers arrived. Photo by Hwang Seoyul chestnut@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Seoyul] "I passed by the overpass even at midnight on the day it collapsed. Since I often go back and forth there, I was scared when I heard the news." (Choi Jiyoon, 28, a resident near Dorim-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul)

At 7 a.m. on the 4th, we visited the Sindorim Station~Dorim-dong pedestrian overpass. Red safety tape was wrapped around the bridge, which curves in a U-shape toward the river. When a hesitant citizen stood in front of the blocked overpass, personnel from the district office nearby guided them around, saying, "To get to the other side, you need to take the bridge over there." Using the overpass would have taken about 1 minute to get from Ssangyong Platinum City to Sindorim Station, but with the passage blocked, residents had to use Sindorim Bridge, which took 7 minutes.

According to Yeongdeungpo-gu and the police, at 1:40 a.m. on the 3rd, the Dorim pedestrian overpass connecting Dorim-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, and Sindorim Station collapsed. This overpass, completed 6 years ago, was originally convex in the middle according to design drawings and residents' accounts. During the usually tight morning rush hour, some residents hurried along, saying they were busy with interviews, but others glanced at the unfamiliar scene or took photos of the overpass. Kim Minji (33) said, "I left about 15 minutes earlier than usual," adding, "Normally, I would take the direct route, but I had to go all the way around."

Starting from the 3rd, with the restriction of passage on Dorim Pedestrian Overpass, residents of Dorim-dong will need to use a detour to get to Sindorim Station for the time being.
Photo by Hwang Seoyul chestnut@

Fortunately, there were no casualties as the accident occurred during early morning hours. However, residents said they were shocked since it was a place they frequently used to get to Sindorim Station. Kim Dasol (28), who lives nearby, said, "I pass by there every morning, so I was really surprised when I saw the news," explaining, "Many people, including those with bicycles and strollers, use this place a lot." Yoo Mo, who was commuting, also said, "After the Itaewon tragedy, awareness about safety has increased, so this incident is concerning," and questioned, "Why was it built so poorly?"

There is also controversy over the fact that the pedestrian overpass received an A grade in the regular safety inspection last December. It was confirmed that repairs were made around last fall, but these were not structural fixes; rather, they involved adding metal reinforcements to maintain the wooden deck, which had uneven raised sections. Regarding the safety inspection results, a Yeongdeungpo-gu official said, "Depending on the inspection method, such results can come out, but it is difficult to provide an exact answer," and refrained from further comment.

On the morning of the 4th, at Sindorim Station~Dorim-dong pedestrian overpass. A resident is crossing Sindorim Bridge while looking at the bent pedestrian overpass.
Photo by Hwang Seoyul chestnut@

Yeongdeungpo District Office announced that after an emergency investigation the previous day, they called in three expert committee members to review the site and carry out emergency measures to prevent secondary damage. Starting that day, to prevent further sagging, they plan to install one pier on the Guro-gu side and two piers on the Yeongdeungpo-gu side in the middle of the bridge. Afterwards, they will form a committee of 11 experts to review design details and conduct on-site investigations to accurately determine the cause and clarify responsibility, a process expected to take more than three months. The current construction company is reportedly out of business. A district office official said, "We need a complete investigation to decide whether to demolish or repair it," adding, "It will likely be unusable throughout this year."