Overview
- Fire officials say a 60-meter boiler tower at Korea East-West Power’s Ulsan site collapsed during demolition preparation, trapping subcontracted workers under a vast debris field.
- Crews are cutting through roughly 30 meters of twisted steel and concrete with limited heavy equipment use due to instability in neighboring structures.
- The collapse occurred during a weakening phase that involved cutting steel supports for later blasting, which experts say may have shifted loads and triggered failure.
- The presidential office ordered full resource mobilization, and the Labor Ministry and prosecutors opened probes that could include searches and seizures over potential safety-law violations.
- Korea East-West Power had outsourced dismantling to HJ Shipbuilding & Construction, and investigators are examining contractor oversight and compliance with demolition plans and safety procedures.