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Three confirmed dead, two still missing as Ulsan rescue efforts continue

Published: 07 Nov. 2025, 14:34 Updated: 07 Nov. 2025, 15:03

Fire authorities carry out rescue operations after a boiler tower collapse at Korea East-West Power’s Ulsan Thermal Power Plant in Nam District, Ulsan, on Nov. 6. [NEWS1]

ULSAN — Rescue efforts continued for more than 20 hours Friday for workers trapped in the rubble following the collapse of a boiler tower at Korea East-West Power’s Ulsan Thermal Power Plant on Thursday.

Nine workers were trapped when the structure gave way. Two were rescued shortly after the collapse and taken to a hospital, and five others have either been confirmed or presumed dead as of Friday noon. However, fire authorities said they have still not found two others who are buried under the debris and whose conditions remain unknown. Rescue teams are combing the wreckage to locate them.

According to Ulsan Fire Headquarters, rescue teams first discovered three workers inside the twisted steel framework of the No. 5 boiler tower. Two of the workers were rescued and taken to a hospital.

The third worker, in his 40s, died during the rescue operation at 4:50 a.m. Friday. The man had remained conscious for hours after the collapse, with rescuers confirming he was trapped with his arm caught between steel beams, but delays in the operation caused the “golden time” for rescue to pass before he could be extricated.

Medical experts said the exact cause of death will be determined after an autopsy, but noted that possible reasons could include pulmonary embolism caused by a blood clot, electrolyte imbalance from crushing injury or internal bleeding due to abdominal or chest trauma.

Two more workers who were trapped were confirmed dead as of 11:46 a.m. Friday morning, bringing the latest death toll to three.

The rescue operation has been slow, turning the accident into a growing tragedy. Layers of concrete and metal have made it nearly impossible for rescue workers to reach them, forcing crews to manually clear debris by hand through narrow gaps.

“The site is extremely difficult to access, which limits the speed of rescue operations,” a fire official said. “The collapsed structure is massive and unstable, raising the risk of additional collapse.”

A large collapsed structure at Korea East-West Power’s Ulsan Thermal Power Plant in Nam District, Ulsan, at around 2:07 p.m. on Nov. 6 [ULSAN FIRE DEPARTMENT]

Fire authorities are using search dogs, acoustic detectors, thermal imaging cameras and endoscopic cameras in their search efforts while repeatedly cutting and removing rebar and concrete. The use of heavy equipment is limited, as the No. 4 and No. 6 towers adjacent to the collapsed No. 5 tower are also unstable.

Authorities said they plan to resume heavy machinery operations after consulting with structural experts and confirming a safe rescue plan.

“We are proceeding with extreme caution to minimize the risk of secondary collapse,” another fire official said.

The accident is being blamed on poor maintenance of aging facilities. Video footage of the collapse shows the upper steel structure of the tower suddenly tilting and crumbling without any alarm or evacuation notice.

Rescue workers continue overnight search operations at the site of the boiler tower collapse at Korea East-West Power’s Ulsan Thermal Power Plant. [NEWS1]

Korea East-West Power and fire authorities said the collapse occurred during a “weakening process” to prepare the boiler for demolition. The process involves cutting key columns and joints in advance to facilitate controlled demolition.

Of the nine workers, eight were performing torch-cutting work at a height of about 25 meters (82 feet), while one was operating a crane outside. Investigators believe the collapse occurred because the main support beams were cut without proper redistribution of the load, triggering a chain reaction.

The boiler tower, completed in 1981, was an aging facility that ceased operations in 2021 and was undergoing demolition. HJ Shipbuilding & Construction won the dismantling contract in 2024, with completion scheduled for June 2026.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has formed a joint investigation team to examine the overall safety management system. “We will thoroughly review safety inspection procedures, risk assessments and on-site supervision systems,” a ministry official said.

Police are also investigating whether the demolition contractor had the proper blasting licenses and whether any safety management regulations were violated.

Firefighters conduct search and rescue operations for missing workers at the site of the boiler tower collapse at Korea East-West Power’s Ulsan Thermal Power Plant in Nam District, Ulsan, early on Nov. 7. [NEWS1]

The Ulsan Metropolitan Government said it would “mobilize all administrative resources to locate the missing workers and support victims,” adding that it plans to conduct a full review of safety management systems at demolition sites for aging power facilities.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Ministry of Employment and Labor held the second meeting of the Central Disaster Response Headquarters for the Ulsan power plant collapse at the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency’s Ulsan branch Friday morning. Officials reviewed overnight rescue progress and discussed strategies for the second day of operations and support measures.

The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the National Fire Agency, the National Police Agency, the Ulsan Metropolitan Government, the Nam District Office and Democratic Party lawmakers Kim Tae-seon and Kim Sang-wook.

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon gave his deep condolences to the deceased and offered sympathy to the bereaved families, urging that the Fire Agency to spare no effort in rescuing the remaining trapped workers. He also asked the Health Ministry and the Safety and Health Agency to provide trauma counseling for survivors and witnesses through a trauma center.

“All human and material resources must be mobilized for a swift rescue before the golden time passes,” said Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-hwan, adding that safety inspections will be carried out at other construction and demolition sites to prevent similar accidents.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM YOUN-HO,KIM MIN-JU,AH DAE-HUN,LEE EUN-JI,KIM WON [[email protected]]