Ulsan:The collapse of a boiler tower at a power plant in Ulsan last November was found to be caused by excessive cutting of support columns prior to its planned demolition using explosives, as per the results of a probe released on Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport disclosed the findings from an investigation committee regarding the fatal incident at the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant, located approximately 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
The incident involved the collapse of a 63.4-meter-tall boiler tower at Unit 5 of the plant during demolition preparations, resulting in the deaths of seven workers and injuries to two others. Investigators determined that an excessive number of support columns had been cut due to inaccurate structural assessments, which left the columns unable to bear the weight of the upper structure.
To prevent such accidents in the future, the investigation committee recommended implementing stricter on-site inspections, establishing new technical standards for demolition work, and enhancing oversight of high-risk demolition projects.