Debris is seen at the scene one day after part of the deck collapsed at the Seosomun Overpass demolition site in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on May 27. [NEWS1]
A lack of safety measures and the simultaneous entry of multiple inspectors onto a weakened structure may have been key factors in the partial collapse of the Seosomun Overpass on Tuesday, according to witness accounts and experts. Three people were killed in the accident in Saedaemun District, western Seoul.
“The team leader climbed between the girders to inspect whether work could resume, and the structure immediately began collapsing once [the additional] weight was applied,” a Seoul Metropolitan Government official who witnessed the accident said. “The structure appears to have been weakened during the demolition process.”
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On Tuesday afternoon, a section of Seosomun Overpass collapsed during demolition work. The overpass, which was built in 1966, was being dismantled due to aging and safety concerns. Demolition began on Aug. 17 last year and was scheduled for completion in early June.
