A partial collapse occurred at the So-so-mun overpass in Seoul, South Korea, while it was being demolished, resulting in one death, at least six injuries, and two people trapped under the rubble.
The Seoul Fire Department and city officials reported the incident happened at approximately 14:32 on 26 May 2024 GMT+7 at the demolition site of the So-so-mun overpass in western Seoul. This historic overpass was scheduled for demolition completion by early next month.
Reports indicate that while workers were on site, the road surface structure of the overpass suddenly gave way and collapsed, trapping a demolition vehicle and both workers and civilians beneath large concrete debris.
By the afternoon of the same day, rescuers had extracted four victims, including one confirmed dead at the scene and another in cardiac arrest. Rescue teams continued efforts to reach two more individuals believed trapped beneath the wreckage.
Six minutes after the collapse, the first rescue team arrived at 14:38. The fire department escalated the emergency response to "Level 1" at 14:49, deploying 62 rescue personnel, 16 rescue vehicles and equipment, five additional ambulances, and around 30 police officers to secure the area and report directly to the National Crisis Management Center.
The accident also caused widespread transportation disruptions. The Korea National Railroad immediately suspended train services between Seoul Station and Sinchon Station, directly affecting the Gyeongui Line and nearby train operations.
This tragedy occurred during the final stretch before the Seoul mayoral election scheduled for 3 June 2024 GMT+7, prompting the two leading candidates from major political parties to suspend their campaigns immediately.
Chung Won-oh, the Democratic Party candidate and opposition member, stated, "Campaigning will be temporarily suspended. Recovery and rescue efforts are the highest priority," before heading to the accident site.
Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate and ruling party member, posted on Facebook: "Nothing is more important than the safety of citizens. I am suspending my campaign from now and will go directly to the site to assess the situation myself." He urged Seoul officials to do everything possible to prevent further loss.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, upon receiving a situation briefing, issued an emergency order to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Fire Agency to mobilize all available personnel and equipment to fully support the rescue operations.
Additionally, the Prime Minister instructed coordination with nearby capable medical facilities to prepare for and expedite the transfer of injured victims to minimize fatalities. He emphasized ensuring the safety of rescue personnel on site and restricting access to unauthorized individuals to prevent secondary accidents. Experts are currently conducting an urgent investigation into the exact cause of the collapse.