Reported by Chosun Biz that Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 11th that it has formed an accident response headquarters to respond to the collapse accident at the Shin Ansan Line underground tunnel construction site in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Reports say collapse happened in the afternoon at around 15:00.
Initially two people were under collapse. One worker in his 20s was in an excavator and has been buried 30 meters underground. He was rescued 13 hours after collapse. Another worker missing. 17 Hours before the collapse there were already signs of cracks in the structure. Upon detection of cracks, construction stopped. Workers evacuated. But 2 people were effected when it collapsed 17 hours later.
Different sources says collapse occurred in 2Arch structure use where site is not wide and the middle support pillar is required.
Different sources say constructor is POSCO E&C.
Update: missing worker found dead:
The worker who was in his fifties has been found dead at 21 meter depth. Tunnel construction contractor company POSCO E&S said their condolences.
Early information sa pillar in the underground two-arch tunnel at the site was ‘broken’, not ‘cracked’ one day before.
https://www.redaily.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=12022
Update: Investigation committee prepared:
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to form Gwangmyeong 'Shin Ansan Line Collapse' Accident Investigation Committee. It is going to investigate the tunnel collapse for two months.
Committee is to have up to 12 experts in civil engineering, structure, soil and foundation, and quality.
Seven years before the collapse of the tunnel construction site, it was confirmed that the ground settlement was raised since the “environmental impact assessment”. "The ground survey showed that there are quite a few sections that Simto does not reach the depth of the actual tunnel section, making it difficult to grasp the actual ground condition."
https://m.news.nate.com/view/20250413n17738
cover tunnel photo by: Matt Brown from London, England / CC BY
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I hope the Korean authorities will thoroughly investigate and publish the causes of the collapse. I do not want to call it accident.