Search efforts persist four days after a boiler tower collapsed at a thermal power plant in Ulsan, South Korea, to locate two missing workers. The incident has left three confirmed dead and two presumed dead, with demolition of nearby units underway to aid the operation. Authorities are investigating potential lapses in safety measures.
On Thursday, November 6, a 60-meter-tall boiler tower collapsed at the Ulsan branch of Korea East-West Power Co., a state-run thermal power plant in southeastern Ulsan. The structure, built in 1981 and decommissioned in 2021 after 40 years of operation, was being demolished by subcontractor workers who were cutting steel supports 25 meters above ground to prepare for blasting. Experts suggest the collapse may have resulted from an uneven load on one side.
Initially, nine workers were reported trapped, but two were rescued early. By Friday, November 7, three were confirmed dead, with two others presumed dead during ongoing extraction efforts. One victim, a 44-year-old man, died around 5 a.m. from cardiac arrest during rescue. Kim Jeong-sik, an official at Ulsan Nambu Fire Station, said, "A rescue worker injected him with painkillers and took measures to keep him warm, but he eventually passed away." The locations of the remaining two workers are still unknown, as about 40 firefighters navigate 30 meters of twisted steel and debris using drones and other equipment.
The Central Disaster and Safety Response Headquarters decided to dismantle adjacent Units 4 and 6 due to risks of further collapse, as both were already weakened for demolition. Preparatory blasting began Friday night, with full demolition expected early next week, possibly Tuesday. An Ulsan city official told reporters, "Once the parts needed to connect the explosives are in place, the demolition will likely be carried out on Tuesday." Rescue operations are anticipated to accelerate post-demolition.
The Ulsan District Prosecutors Office has formed an investigation team with police and the labor ministry to determine the cause, hold those responsible, and support bereaved families. Key questions include whether safety measures, such as supporting the tower with wires, were in place. The labor ministry plans searches and seizures to probe the incident.