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One worker dead, another injured after trench collapse in Seoul's Daechi-dong neighborhood

Published: 13 Jun. 2025, 18:29

The accident site after a trench collapsed during a sewage pipe replacement project at Eunma Apartment complex in Daechi-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul is seen on June 13. [YONHAP]

A construction worker was killed and another injured Friday when a trench collapsed during a sewage pipe replacement project at the Eunma Apartment complex in Daechi-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul, according to police and fire authorities.

The collapse occurred around 1 p.m. while workers were replacing corroded sewage pipes at the aging residential complex. Emergency responders pulled two men from the buried trench. One, a man in his 60s, was found in cardiac arrest and later pronounced dead at the hospital despite CPR efforts. The second, in his 50s, was rescued conscious with minor injuries to his ankle and other areas.

“The area had been excavated for pipe replacement, and that part appears to have collapsed,” said a fire official. “We are currently investigating the exact cause of the collapse and the depth of the trench.”

“This is an old apartment, and the existing sewage pipes had become unusable, so they were being replaced when the accident occurred,” said a representative of the Eunma Apartment complex. “The old concrete pipes were corroded, so new ones were being installed.”

A bird's-eye view of Eunma Apartment complex in Daechi-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul [YONHAP]

The Eunma Apartment complex, built in 1979, is a well-known residential site at the heart of Daechi-dong, Seoul’s private education hub. Redevelopment efforts have been in discussion since 1996 but were delayed for more than a decade due to regulatory hurdles.

The incident occurred next to a playground, shocking residents. “I didn’t think it was a major project,” said Song, 80, a resident. “I ran out after seeing the news.”

The Suseo Police Precinct and the Ministry of Employment and Labor plan to question the apartment’s management office director and others to determine the exact circumstances of the accident.

The accident site after a trench collapsed during a sewage pipe replacement project at Eunma Apartment complex in Daechi-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul is seen on June 13. [YONHAP]

Authorities suspect the trench wall collapsed while workers were boring into a sewage pipe buried approximately one meter (3.3 feet) underground.

“We will conduct forensic analysis to identify the cause of the accident,” said a police official. “We are investigating three site managers for possible charges of occupational negligence resulting in death.”

The Labor Ministry will separately determine whether the accident constitutes a violation of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE SU-MIN, SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]