What Happened in Ulsan? Body of Another Worker Recovered After Power Plant Tower Collapse
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Tragic incident at Ulsan power plant leads to fatalities.
- Rescue operations are actively ongoing.
- Government pledges support and investigation.
- Safety in demolition needs urgent attention.
- Three confirmed dead, two still unaccounted for.
Ulsan (South Korea), Nov 9 (NationPress) The lifeless body of another worker was discovered on Sunday beneath the debris after last week's tragic collapse of a boiler tower at a thermal power facility in Ulsan, situated in South Korea's southeastern region.
The boiler tower, part of the Ulsan branch of Korea East-West Power Co., a government-operated utility, fell down on Thursday during its demolition, initially trapping seven workers beneath it.
As the rescue mission progressed, firefighters retrieved the body of a 44-year-old male victim from the wreckage on Sunday morning. This followed the recovery of two other bodies the previous Friday, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
Authorities indicated that the individual had perished on Friday while awaiting rescue beneath the collapsed structure.
The confirmed number of fatalities from the incident has reached three by Sunday. Two additional workers are feared dead, believed to still be trapped under the rubble, while the whereabouts of the remaining two workers remain unverified, according to officials.
The 60-meter-high boiler tower was in a weakened state at the time of the incident after ceasing operations in 2021, after 40 years of service.
On November 7, Land Minister Kim Yun-duk visited the site of the boiler tower collapse in Ulsan, urging rescuers to exert maximum effort to save any workers still trapped under the debris, as reported by his office.
Kim arrived at the site around 11 p.m. on Thursday to observe the ongoing rescue operations, as stated by the land ministry.
"The government will extend full support to ensure the victims are rescued as swiftly as possible," Kim remarked, urging responders to give their all in the recovery and rescue efforts.
He further stated that the ministry would collaborate with relevant agencies to investigate the cause of the tragedy and to prevent similar occurrences in the future.