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5 workers collapse in manhole in Jeonju paper factory

Published: 04 May. 2025, 13:00 Updated: 04 May. 2025, 17:53

An ambulance at a hospital in Daejeon on April 17 [JOONGANG ILBO]

Five workers collapsed while working inside a manhole at a paper factory in Jeonju, North Jeolla, on Sunday morning, according to local police and fire authorities.

The incident occurred at around 9:44 a.m. in Palbok-dong, Deokjin District, where the workers were performing maintenance inside a 3-meter-deep (9.8-feet-deep) manhole on the factory premises.

Two workers were transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest, while another worker in their 50s was also reported to be in a semiconscious state. The remaining two workers were conscious but complained of dizziness.

Authorities believe the initial group of three workers entered the manhole and did not return, prompting two more to go in after them. All five were eventually retrieved and taken to nearby hospitals.

The exact cause of the incident remains under investigation. Police and fire officials are working to confirm the identities of the workers and determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]