More Seongnam bridges closed after deadly collapse

The pedestrian walkway of Sunae Bridge in Bundang District of Seongnam, Gyeonggi, sits off-limits on Thursday, a day after a nearby bridge collapsed, leading to one death and another injury. [NEWS1]

A third bridge in Bundang District of Seongnam, Gyeonggi was made off-limits to pedestrians due to safety concerns after one of them collapsed earlier this week, killing one and seriously injuring another.

Officials at the Seongnam city government briefed reporters Thursday that the walkway of Sunae Bridge was closed from around 8 p.m. Wednesday after the city received complaints that the bridge seemed “tilted.”

Cars were still allowed on the bridge.

Buljeong Bridge, also in Bundang District, was totally closed on the same day for similar reasons.

Both bridges are near Jeongja Bridge, the walkway of which collapsed at around 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

A 40-year-old woman and 27-year-old man who were on the walkway at the time of the accident fell 5 meters (16.4 feet) and hit another pedestrian walkway that ran under the bridge along Tancheon Stream.

They were taken to a hospital but the woman was pronounced dead. Authorities said the man sustained serious back injuries.

Nearly half the pedestrian walkway, which stretched along the side of the 108-meter-long bridge, broke away in less than five seconds, officials said.

Exactly what caused the collapse remains unknown.

A police team of nearly 40 members has been investigating the cause since Wednesday evening.

Seongnam city government said it would inspect all 211 bridges in the city as a precaution.

Jeongja Bridge was built in 1993 and frequently used by Bundang residents to reach nearby Jeongja Station on the Sinbundang and Suin-Bundang subway lines or to take express buses to nearby cities.

The walking trail running below the bridge along Tancheon Stream has long been a popular spot for walks.

In last year’s safety inspection by Seongnam government, the 30-year-old bridge received a favorable rating with “no major defects,” but summary notes pointed out that repair work was needed for cracks.

Experts say that the accident could be the first to fall under the so-called Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which came into effect in 2021 and punishes central administrative agency chiefs and local government heads for hazards caused by defects in the design, production, installation or maintenance of public facilities.

Gyeonggi police investigating the Jeongja Bridge collapse said they were planning a joint on-site inspection with officials from the National Forensic Service and the Korea Authority of Land and Infrastructure Safety on Friday to collect information on the cause.

An official at Bundang District Office in charge of overseeing the bridge was summoned Thursday for questioning.

Other individuals at a company responsible for performing safety checks and repairs on the bridge will be summoned shortly, police said.

BY SON SUNG-BAE, LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]