Boiler collapsed at thermal power plant in South Korea

South Korean authorities continued search and rescue operations on Thursday after a boiler tower collapsed at a thermal power plant in Ulsan, a city in the southeast of the country. The accident left nine subcontractor workers trapped inside the damaged structure. It is mentioned that two of the workers were successfully rescued and are currently in stable condition, and seven others remained unaccounted for immediately after the collapse.

Rescuers made some progress when they located two of the remaining trapped individuals after digging through layers of gravel and soil to reach the damaged area. However, five workers are still missing, prompting ongoing rescue operations. Emergency teams are working with caution but urgency due to the unstable condition of the collapsed site.

Furthermore, a firefighting official stated that efforts are focused on safely retrieving the workers who have been found and exploring options to lift or dismantle parts of the structure to reach those still trapped. Authorities are carefully weighing safety risks as they move heavy debris and navigate dangerous conditions around the collapse site.

South Korean President, Lee Jae Myung, has ordered the deployment of additional resources, including personnel and equipment, to speed up rescue efforts. Reports indicate that the 60-meter (nearly 197-foot) boiler tower collapsed while it was being dismantled with explosives, though a full investigation into the cause is still expected.