Rescue Operation Continues After Deadly Tower Collapse
Emergency teams in South Korea have recovered a third body from the wreckage of a collapsed boiler tower at a thermal power plant in the southeastern city of Ulsan. The painstaking rescue operation continues as four workers remain unaccounted for, with efforts being severely hampered by the constant threat of further structural collapse.
Timeline of a Tragedy
The 60-metre (196ft) tall structure crumbled on Thursday while being prepared for demolition. The first two fatalities were discovered on Friday. In a tragic turn of events, a 44-year-old man died while awaiting rescue that same day; firefighters successfully reached his body early on Sunday morning.
Authorities now confirm that two workers are presumed dead and are believed to be trapped under the heavy debris. The precise locations of another two individuals have yet to be confirmed, leaving their fates uncertain.
Dangerous Conditions Hamper Search Efforts
Rescue teams are employing every available tool, including heat sensors and highly trained search dogs, in their desperate attempt to locate survivors. However, the operation is progressing slowly and with extreme caution.
Kim Jeong-shik, an official with the local fire department, highlighted the perilous conditions, stating, "The rescue site is currently covered with large amounts of asbestos and glass fibres. The space is extremely cramped, forcing rescue workers to manually clear the debris by hand."
The boiler tower had been taken out of service in 2021 after 40 years of continual use and was in the process of being structurally weakened for demolition when the catastrophic failure occurred. The response has been escalated to the highest level, with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ordering officials to mobilise all available personnel and equipment for the rescue mission.
