Missing construction worker found dead by responders 124 hours after site collapse

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Missing construction worker found dead by responders 124 hours after site collapse

Published: 17 Apr. 2025, 11:07 Updated: 17 Apr. 2025, 19:19

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Firefighters are moving around the collapse site of the 5-2 section at the Shinansan Line underground tunnel construction site in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi, on April 14. [NEWS1]

A man in his 50s who went missing following the collapse of a subway tunnel construction site in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi, was found dead inside a container on Wednesday.

The body of the Posco E&C worker was recovered around 8:11 p.m. by the special response unit of the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters. He was located approximately 21 meters (68.9 feet) underground at the collapse site in Iljik-dong.

He was first detected by a rescue dog at around 7:35 p.m. on Wednesday. Seven members of the rescue unit were then able to reach the location by clearing through soil, rebar and debris. The worker was transported to Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital approximately 124 hours after the collapse.

The collapse occurred at around 3:13 p.m. on Friday at Section 5-2 of the double-track Sinansan Line project, which was being built using the two-arch method. The ground caved in, bringing down the road above, the construction company's support facilities and nearby commercial buildings.

Fire authorities completed stabilization work on the fallen debris around 2 p.m. on Monday, continuing their search through the night until the body was found.

Authorities work on April 16 to recover those missing at a tunnel that collapsed in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi, on April 11. [NEWS1]

Authorities believe the worker had been inside a container at the time of the accident, based on witness accounts. The container is thought to have fallen during the collapse and was crushed under rocks estimated to be 1.5 to 2 meters in both width and height. He was found buried inside the deformed container, which had been filled with soil.

“We deployed six rescue teams, about 40 personnel, and seven rescue dogs to search for the missing worker,” said Hong Geon-pyo, head of fire prevention at the Gwangmyeong Fire Station on Wednesday. “We are sorry we could not deliver the news of a successful rescue sooner to the families who spent sleepless nights waiting for his return.”

Another missing worker at the time, a man in his 20s who was operating an excavator, fell about 30 meters and was trapped alone. He was rescued around 13 hours later, on Saturday. Though he suffered a fractured collarbone, he is currently being treated at the regional trauma center of Ajou University Hospital in Suwon, Gyeonggi, and is not in critical condition.

Stabilization work is underway at the Shinansan Line underground tunnel construction site in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi on April 13, where a collapse accident occurred on April 11. [JANG JIN-YOUNG]

In a statement following the fire department’s briefing, Gwangmyeong Mayor Park Seung-won said the city would do everything it could to ensure proper follow-up measures.

“We will work with experts to identify the best path forward, including conducting safety inspections across all sections of the Sinansan Line project to ensure the construction can proceed without further incidents,” he said.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY SON SUNG-BAE [[email protected]]