A collapse occurred at the construction site of the Gwangju Metropolitan Library in Seo District, Gwangju.
According to the National Fire Agency on the 11th, a steel structure collapsed that afternoon at the construction site of the Gwangju Metropolitan Library in Seo District, Gwangju.
Fire authorities received a 119 call at about 1:58 p.m. saying, "The site collapsed during ready-mix concrete pouring." They arrived at 2:04 p.m. and issued response level 1.
The accident is believed to have occurred when a structure failed under load and collapsed during the pouring of concrete on the upper part of the building.
Workers on site were buried under debris in the accident. The initial report said two people were trapped, but as many as four are now presumed trapped.
Fire authorities rescued one trapped person and transported the person to a hospital. They also located another trapped person and began a rescue operation.
Fire authorities rushed a fire response team to the scene and are conducting rescue operations with 26 personnel and 17 pieces of equipment.
However, the rescue has reportedly been hampered by a tangle of unset concrete and rebar.
Police and fire authorities are controlling the site against the risk of additional collapse and plan to investigate the exact cause of the accident, including whether safety rules were followed, by questioning construction officials once the rescue is complete.
Meanwhile, the Gwangju Metropolitan Library, being built on the former Sangmu Incineration Plant site, is under construction with a goal of opening next year, and the progress rate is reportedly around 70%.