Risk of Secondary Accident Rises, Towers 4 and 6 to Be Demolished
All Search Personnel Withdrawn from Site
Four Still Trapped, Three Presumed Dead
On the fifth day since the collapse at Korea East-West Power's Ulsan Thermal Power Plant, fire authorities have begun dismantling the towers adjacent to the accident site. Given the heightened risk of a secondary accident, the authorities have decided to prioritize the removal of hazards over search operations.
According to the Central Accident Response Headquarters on November 10, weakening work has resumed on boiler towers 4 and 6, which are located on either side of the collapsed boiler tower 5, ahead of their planned demolition by blasting.
On the afternoon of the 9th, the fourth day since the collapse of the boiler tower at Ulsan Thermal Power Plant, officials inside the plant are discussing the preliminary blasting work for boiler towers 4 and 6. Photo by Yonhap News
As the weakening process increases the risk of the towers collapsing, all rescue personnel and equipment have been withdrawn from the site. Instead, four small drones and one drone operation vehicle will be deployed to continue search operations.
The priority dismantling of towers 4 and 6 is intended to secure safety before attempting to rescue the missing and those trapped under the debris. Heavy equipment is required for rescue operations, but due to the increased risk of additional collapses of towers 4 and 6, it cannot be deployed at this time. It is also reported that the weakening work on towers 4 and 6 is already well underway. Even a minor impact could cause them to fall, making it difficult to deploy large equipment or personnel and slowing down rescue efforts.
Consultations with the victims' families and discussions with safety experts have been completed. The accident response headquarters plans to use explosives to simultaneously bring down towers 4 and 6 once the weakening of tower 6, currently about 75% complete, is finished.
With preparations for demolition underway, all non-essential personnel have been withdrawn from the site. Fire rescue workers have also halted internal rescue operations.
As of this morning, fire authorities believe that three of the four people still trapped are deceased. The whereabouts of two individuals remain unknown. However, before the weakening work began, the body of a worker in his 40s, surnamed Kim, was recovered yesterday morning. Search and rescue operations for the remaining four trapped individuals will resume after the demolition of towers 4 and 6.
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