Authorities evacuate over 2300 residents after Gwangmyeong tunnel collapse

On 11th, after the underground tunnel construction site of the Shinansan Line in Gyeonggi Province's Gwangmyeong City collapsed, the fire authorities evacuated over 2,300 residents living in nearby areas due to concerns about additional damage.

On that day, Hong Geon-pyo, chief of fire prevention at the Gwangmyeong Fire Station, noted during a briefing that “to prepare for secondary damage, over 2,300 residents of 642 households from the nearby Prugio apartment were evacuated to eight locations, including community gyms.”

At around 3:13 p.m. on the 11th, a collapse occurred at the construction site of the underground tunnel for the Shinansan Line double-track railway, section 5-2, in Iljik-dong, Gwangmyeong City, Gyeonggi Province. As a result of the incident, one worker was isolated and one was missing.

The road from Yangjisa Intersection to Anyang Hohyeon Intersection has been closed, and Korea Electric Power Corporation and Samchuly respectively cut off electricity and gas at 6:31 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The collapsed tunnel is estimated to be 30 meters deep, and the structural authorities are cautiously proceeding with the deployment of heavy equipment, prioritizing safety. Lee Seong-hae, director of the Korea Railroad Corporation, stated that “experts will assess the safety of nearby apartments through measurement work, and we will mobilize flood prevention equipment such as tarps and pumps in preparation for the rain scheduled for tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, 15 hours before the incident, at 12:26 a.m. on that day, on-site officials reported to Gwangmyeong City that cracks had occurred in the columns inside the underground tunnel. Consequently, road closures and reinforcement work were carried out, but it ultimately led to the collapse.

Currently, the rescue authorities are continuing operations to rescue the isolated worker and are employing various methods, including tracking the mobile phone location, to ascertain the whereabouts of the missing person. Authorities plan to expedite on-site safety inspections and reinforcement work to prevent further collapses and casualties.