Three people have died and three others were injured after a section of an overpass being demolished in Seoul, South Korea, suddenly gave way during a safety inspection on Tuesday, according to fire and city officials.
Authorities said the incident involved a portion of the structure under dismantling in the capital that collapsed while engineers and inspectors were carrying out a routine safety check. Emergency footage from the scene showed rescue teams searching through debris as a large slab of the overpass lay scattered across a roadway near a railway crossing in central Seoul.
City officials explained that early warning signs of structural weakness had been detected overnight, prompting a temporary halt to demolition work so a safety assessment could be conducted. Despite the precaution, the collapse occurred in the afternoon while inspection personnel were still inside part of the structure.
A fire department spokesperson confirmed that all six victims those killed and injured were involved in the inspection process. They included senior municipal public works staff alongside a private-sector specialist brought in to assist with the evaluation.
The structure, built in 1966, had been slated for demolition because of ongoing safety concerns related to its age and deteriorating condition, city authorities said
Investigations are now underway to determine what caused the sudden structural failure during the inspection period.
Goodness Anunobi
