Bridge collapse at Anseong highway construction site kills four

A bridge collapse at a construction site for the Seoul-Sejong Expressway resulted in the deaths of four workers and injuries to six others. Authorities have launched an investigation, believing the accident occurred during the installation of steel beams on the bridge deck.

According to fire and police officials, the incident took place at approximately 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday in Sanpyeong-ri, Seoun-myeon, Anseong City, Gyeonggi Province. A 50-meter-long supporting beam at the Cheonyongcheon Bridge construction site on Section 9 of the Cheonan-Anseong segment of the Seoul-Sejong Expressway suddenly collapsed, causing the bridge deck to give way. As a result, ten workers who were on the bridge fell and were buried under the concrete debris.

Fire authorities declared a national fire mobilization order and dispatched special rescue teams nationwide. All ten workers were rescued, but four, including two Chinese nationals, were pronounced dead. The six injured workers were all men in their late 40s to mid-60s. The rescued workers were seven South Koreans and three Chinese nationals.

The collapse occurred at a six-lane bridge connecting Seoun-myeon, Anseong City, Gyeonggi Province, and Ipjang-myeon, Cheonan City, South Chungcheong Province. Construction crews had completed the structural work on the northbound side the previous day. They were installing beams for the southbound lanes using heavy cranes when several beams and four to five sections of the deck collapsed instantly. Fortunately, no workers were on the ground then, preventing further casualties.

"It does not appear that the installed beams collapsed," a fire department official stated. "The accident likely occurred during the installation process." The Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency has formed a special investigation team of 78 members led by the chief of the criminal task force to determine the cause of the incident.


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