At approximately 7:04 p.m. on the 16th, a 10-meter high retaining wall at the Gajang Intersection overpass in Osan collapsed. As a result of the accident, a passenger car passing under the overpass was buried, and the driver of that vehicle was reported dead.
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, one person died from the wall collapse. After receiving the report, the fire authorities dispatched personnel, determining that there was a high possibility that someone was trapped inside the vehicle that had been buried while driving, and issued a 'Level 1 Response' while mobilizing specialized heavy equipment for rescue operations.
Rescue personnel found a driver, referred to as Mr. A in his 40s, inside the buried vehicle around 8:50 p.m. that day, in a state with no breathing or pulse. After rescuers took an hour to fully extract Mr. A, he was transported to a nearby hospital, but ultimately succumbed.
After searching the vehicle's interior and confirming the status of any additional burials, the fire authorities concluded that there were no further casualties. Mr. A's vehicle was reported to have suffered severe damage, being crushed under a structure weighing approximately 180 tons and measuring 40 meters in length and 10 meters in height.
Earlier that afternoon, around 4 p.m., a pothole measuring several tens of centimeters in diameter formed on the lane of the overpass heading toward Suwon at the Gajang Intersection, prompting recovery efforts. The police and the city of Osan restricted two lanes heading toward Suwon from 5:30 p.m.
Immediately after the retaining wall collapse, traffic on the road at Gajang Intersection was entirely restricted.
The fire authorities and police plan to investigate the circumstances of the accident while conducting safety assessments and recovery operations in preparation for further incidents.
Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon visited the accident site that day and said, "We will analyze the cause of the accident accurately and determine clear accountability." The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters dispatched a site manager in relation to this accident.